The Legend Of Spyro: Lucifers Kingdom
by TMHB77
Summary: Spyro is having flashbacks outbursts of rage, and one disturbing, recurring nightmare. can spyro come to terms with the past? read Love at first sight before you read this if you haven't already. not a sequel, more like a spin-off of Love at first sight.
1. Chapter 1 An Autumn Day

**THE LEGEND OF SPYRO: LUCIFERS KINGDOM**

CHAPTER 1 – AN AUTUMN DAY

School had just started back up as Spyro's long awaited summer ended. It seemed as though only the elders, he, and Ember knew of the events that took place in the future, and the incredible sacrifice he had to make to save the realms.

He trotted down the trail to the temple, flanked by Flame, and his now girlfriend, Ember.

"So did either of you do that homework Ignitus assigned?" Flame asked

"Yes." Spyro and Ember answered in unison, causing Spyro to smile and Ember to giggle.

"Ugh will you guys stop that?" Flame said aggravated.

"Whats the matter flame? Cant handle a little P.D.A.?" Spyro as he pulled himself and

Ember in front of Flame and kissed her on the lips, causing him to go around them.

"Real mature!" Flame called over his shoulder.

"C'mon lets catch up to him before we're late again. You know how Ignitus gets with repeat offenders." Spyro said grabbing her arm and kind of dragging her along.

"Spyro! I need my arm for writing!"

He practically dragged her into the classroom, just as the bell rang.

"Phew, that was a close one…" Spyro said

"Spyro…I think you pulled my arm out of its socket…" Ember said rotating her arm

"Sorry babe, but at least we aren't late!" Spyro said optimistically  
Ember just glared at him until Ignitus came in and began class for today.

They sat through class just like every other day.

Spyro glanced over at Amber every now again…a habit he was finding hard to break.

He loved Ember, but…he still had the memories of himself and Amber…for that brief period that they were together, he remembered it like all of it happened yesterday.  
Ember knew this as well, and while ember knew Spyro loved her, his glances and the fact that she was his first love, made her nervous.

Spyro knew what would happen if he and Amber where together, the dark master would be released, and hell would break loose.

Spyro felt ember hit his shin, causing him to wince, but break his glance at Amber.

Ember looked at Spyro with not anger, but concern.

"Spyro…why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"You know what."

"I'm sorry Ember…its…I'm still letting go…"

"Spyro if you aren't ready for another relationship, you need to tell me."

"No…Ember I love you more than anything…its just…it's only been a few weeks since all this happened…just give me some time to sort this out ok?"

The look in Embers eyes went from concern to aggravation.

"A few weeks? Spyro it's been six! I'm getting worried about you…you need to let go…and until you do…I think we should spend some time apart…"

The bell rang, signaling the end of school.

"Are…are you breaking up with me?" Spyro stuttered

"No Spyro…I just want you to get over her, before we start something serious."

"So we are still dating?"

"No…"

"Then we're breaking up?"

"No…I…just…need…you need to get over amber before you say you are ready for another relationship!" Ember said with tears of frustration in her eyes.

"If you don't want to go out with me then just say so!" Spyro yelled since the classroom was now empty

"Fine Spyro! If this is the way you want it, then that is the way it will be!" Ember said with tears still glistening as she walked out of the classroom leaving Spyro alone.

"Why can't I get past you Amber?!" he yelled at the top of his lungs

He didn't know why he couldn't get her out of his head. She was still with Deo, he was still using drugs, and as far as he knew, Deo was still hurting her emotionally and physically. And all he could do was watch.

He loved Ember…she was the sole person who helped him through the pain of his last adventure…the recurring dreams…the psychological scars…everything that comes with a traumatic event, she had helped him through. He owes ember his life, and he is forever indebt to her. But his heart still stopped when Amber looked his way, or talked to him.  
She had no recollection of anything they did. Only he did. It was his blessing, and his curse.

A constant burden he carried at all times.

The purple dragon of prophecy was a title he never asked for, and would gladly give away.

He hated what he was, and was unsure of what he was becoming.

He had uncontrollable outbursts of anger, ever since he encountered the dark master in the future.

When he would have these outbursts, he would never remember what he did until he calmed down. His first one happened when he had seen Deo kiss Amber, and he destroyed an entire gnorc village, males, females, and hatchlings.

They had become more frequent unfortunately…they seemed to follow the lunar calendar, when there was no moon, it would happen…it was almost like…he was not in control.

Spyro walked out of the classroom and felt the cool autumn breeze sweep across the plains by the temple and across his face…autumn was his favorite season. Not too cold, not too hot…perfect.

He walked down the temple steps and saw Flame waiting for him.

"What was wrong with Ember? I tried to talk to her but she wouldn't stop." Flame asked

"I don't know…lets just get out of here…thank the gods it's Friday."

"I know right?"

Spyro and Flame walked down their usual trail until it parted ways to each others houses.

"I'll see you later Flame…call me tomorrow or something."

"Sure bro, hope you find out whats up with Ember."

"Yeah…me too." Spyro lied. He knew why Ember was upset…but he knew Flame wouldn't understand…he didn't know what Spyro had done…only Ember and the elders…trying to explain to him would be pointless.

He needed someone to talk to…it was usually Ember, but she was mad at him…and Ignitus means well, but he is too old to understand his feelings.

'Looks like the only person I can trust is myself…' he thought as he entered his cave.

Then it hit him, Cynder! She was still recovering from their battle, but she was well enough for visitors, and Spyro had been meaning to visit her since she regained consciousness.

Spyro put his school stuff on his bed and flew toward the medical branch of the temple.

He soon found Cynders room, she looked asleep, so he entered quietly with some flowers

he had gotten on the way there.

He was being quiet until he tripped over one of the machines cord and fell to the floor.

He quickly got back up before Cynder was fully awake.

Her blurred vision focused on him.

"Spyro? I haven't seen you since you saved me." She said sleepily.

He hugged her and gave her the flowers for her bedside table.

"Aww…these are beautiful…that is so sweet of you Spyro."

She kissed him on the cheek and he sat beside her bed.

"How have you been Spyro?"

"I've been ok…" he lied again

"How about yourself?" he asked.

"I've been better." She laughed slightly

They talked for hours and into the night, until the head nurse made Spyro leave, because visiting hours were over.

Spyro flew back to his cave and checked his comm. Crystal.

He had one missed call from Ember. He could call her back, but it was late, he figured he would just talk to her tomorrow.

He settled in for the night and promptly fell asleep.

He hadn't had a nightmare in a few days…and he was long overdue, but this dream…would be like no other.

Spyro found himself standing outside Embers house, then he appeared in her room, she saw her clutching her pillow, crying.

"Why…isn't…Spyro…over Amber? I…l-love him…so…much…please…I'll pray to…all the gods…help…Spyro get…t-t-to a better…place…with this…"

She had a picture of him on her nightstand. She grabbed it, and held it close. It was one of him and her at the secret spot he had shown Amber in the past.

He was carrying her and she took the photo. It was one of her favorites.

Spyro felt terrible, but there was more to this nightmare than just this.

Embers room began to melt slowly, as did Ember. And it was replaced by him standing outside the dragon temple.

The building itself burst into flames, and then began to sink into the ground.

Once the building had disappeared, underground, a portal opened up in the ground, but it was not blue like the normal ones, it was blood red, and it sucked in everything it could.

Spyro was pulled into it and was taken to convexity, where the dark master was imprisoned. He saw the dark master escape!

His formless dark cloud emerged from the portal and Spyro assumed a fighting stance.  
But before the dark master could do anything, the same blood red portal opened behind him, and a huge red beast emerged from the portal, it had huge horns, and red scaly skin, except for the beasts legs, which were like that of a goats.

Its huge fangs dripped with blood as it was at least 20 feet tall.

The dark master was dwarfed in comparison to this mammoth creature.

He changed into the form of a dragon, but the monster simply grabbed him in one of his massive claws.

The dark master struggled and screamed in vain as this…thing ripped it in two.

The dark master assumed his cloudlike form, and made a run for it, but the creature managed to grab him, and threw him into the portal to what was surely hell. The dark master's cries were heard until he disappeared into the fire.

Spyro was in awe…this monster…whatever it was, just defeated the most powerful being known to them.

It roared, and its breath was the most terrible thing Spyro had ever smelled.

It stepped closer, its massive hoofs shaking the platform of rocks.

Spyro backed to the edge of the platform, with nowhere else to go…this was it.

The beast lifted its massive fist, and swung down…

Spyro awoke in a cold sweat, the full moon still high in the sky…it had only been an

Hour, yet that dream felt like an eternity.

He was shivering…he began to have a flashback to when he was thrown into the future… time past in what seemed like two times its normal speed as Spyro just shivered and stared blankly at the wall…then his mind went blank. 

**You asked for a sequel! here it is!**


	2. Chapter 2 Hospitalized

CHAPTER-2 HOSPITALIZED

**WARNING- this chapter is kinda graphic.**

Spyro slowly opened his eyes. His vision focused, and he realized he was in the hospital wing of the temple, surrounded by Ember, Flame and the elders.

"What happened? Aww why does my head hurt so much?" Spyro asked holding it

"You fell when you blacked out, and hit your head silly." Ember said smiling.

She leaned in and kissed him quickly on the lips.

Flame rolled his eyes behind them

"Please never scare me like that again."

"Ok…"

"Do you promise?"

"Yes, I do."

"Good. Now the elders want to talk to you. Flame and I will be back later. Goodbye babe, I love you." Ember said leaving with Flame.

"Love you too…" he said tired from the drugs they had given him for his injury.

"Spyro, I understand that you had a dream last night. I need you to describe it for us."

That dream was one of the worst experiences of his life…he actually feared sleep because of it.

"Ignitus…do I have to?"

"Spyro we need this information. This could be a prophetic dream, and we need to know what you saw." Terrador said

Spyro thought back…he recapped what he could remember.

After he had told them all they knew, the elders thanked him, and let him rest.

OUTSIDE SPYRO'S ROOM

"We need to get to convexity and make sure the dark master is still there." Cyril said as they walked to the secret portal.

Upon arrival, the rock platform was covered in blood, and the purple beam was gone, and the metal casing was ripped and bent.

"Did he escape?" Voltier asked

"No…he's on the floor. Something immensely powerful did this…I have a feeling it was whatever Spyro saw in his dream." Ignitus said somberly

BACK TO SPYRO

He was really tired, but he couldn't go to sleep. He couldn't face that hell again.

He tried to stay awake as long as he could.

He tried to concentrate on the television, but it burst into flame! He pressed the nurse call button, but it melted onto the floor. He looked on the sides of his bed, where the tiles of the floor should have been, there was and endless sea of flames.

Spyro yelled for help, but he was not heard. The ground below his bed opened up and he fell into the huge pit of fire, leaving his bed. He fell for a few minutes until he hit red rock that was hot and slick with blood. He looked around, and saw what had to be hell.

To his left, Flame and Cynder were in cages with a large fire started below them, slowly heating the metal bottom of the cage, their cries pierced Spyro's psyche like a knife through butter.

There were creatures that were similar to humans except skinnier and were all black except for their 8 yellow eyes.

He then saw the elder's heads on pikes in front of the creature from his dream, sitting on a massive throne made of skulls.

Ember had been all four limbs chained to four boulders, immobilizing her. There were demons all around her, doing…unspeakable things to her.

(A/N raping her, if that wasn't clear. It's a T rated story, so I don't know if I can mention rape.)

This enraged spyro more than anything. He charged the demon horde and killed them all.

He was about to save ember when she disappeared right in front of him.

"Spyro!! Help me!"

He recognized that voice…it was Ambers.

Amber and Ember were in two separate chambers that were slowly filling with fire.

The huge creature stood on his goat like legs and spoke in a thunderous voice.

"I am the king of all evil! Lucifer himself! The master of hell! I destroyed your pathetic dark master, and now Spyro, you must face your own personal hell! You must choose between your love, and your past love. Choose now, or they both die!"

This was the decision Spyro thought would never come. He either had to give up his past memories, or give up the girl who has stuck with him through all of his hard times.

"Spyro…Spyro…Spyro! SPYRO!"

He snapped up. He was still in the hospital….it had all been a dream; Ember and Flame were right in front of him.

"Are you ok bro? You we talking in your sleep, sweating up a storm…we were worried about you dude." Flame said

"I'm…I'm fine…thanks guys…"

They talked until the nurse came in with Spyro's discharge papers. He signed them and walked out of the temple with his friends

It was a fall day just like the last one, perfect weather.

He thought about what he saw…his friends in pain, his love Ember…and Amber…suffering as well…and the choice he would have to make. He needed to talk to the elders about this, what did all of it mean?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ignitus, I don't like this." Terrador said concerned

"Neither do I, but if what Spyro told us was true, then there is a much greater evil threatening our world." Ignitus said

"What do you think it is?" Cyril asked

"I have no idea. For all I know, we could be up against the very forces of hell itself."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Spyro went back to his cave alone, since it was nightfall.

He lay on his bed, but dared not sleep, for fear of being cast into that nightmare once more.

He stayed awake until sunrise the next morning, then drug himself to school.

Once he sat down Ember came next to him as usual.

"Spyro, did you sleep at all last night?" Ember asked

"No…couldn't sleep." He answered wearily

"Ok class, before we begin, we have a new student with us today! His name is Famalus; please make him feel at home."

Famalus was a mostly white dragon with black tribal markings covering half his body.

"Tell us a little about yourself Famalus." Ignitus said before letting him sit down.

With a clear look of discomfort, he began to speak.

"Well…I'm from a really far off place, and…I don't have any parents to speak of…" he stopped hoping that there would be no more questions, but alas, Flame raised his claw.

"Whats with the black designs?"

"They represent the balance between good and evil…that concept is important to my people."

"Which are?"

"Huh?" Famalus asked confused

"Who are your people?" Flame asked

"Um…they are…the…day moon tribe! Yes, the day moon tribe, those are my people."

"Ah yes, the day moon's fun loving bunch they are, you may sit down now." Ignitus said as he sat down, Ignitus began to take attendance.

"Spyro?"

"Here."

Famalus looked up, and identified Spyro.

'There he is, you know what must be done.'

'No Sulamaf! You don't control me!"

'That's what you think.'

(A/N Sulamaf is Famalus' dark side. Yeah he has a split personality thing going on.)

After a few hours, the recess bell rang, and they went out into the temple courtyard.

Spyro, Amber, Ember and Flame usually just talked at recess, since this was their last year of school.

"Maybe we should get that new guy over here. He looks like he's got some interesting stories." Flame said walking over to find him.

He did, and brought him back over to their group.

They introduced themselves and talked until recess was over, then school was out.

"Famalus, you should come back to our waterfall, it's really nice there." Ember suggested

"Yeah, it's the best waterfall in all of avalar." Spyro agreed, putting his arm around Embers waist.

"Well, ok."  
He joined them at the waterfall and they swan and talked until the sun went down. When they did, they left to their respective caves.

Famalus went back to his cave and a version of him with the color patterns reversed appeared in front of him in a wispy black cloud.

'Well you know your target, now you must finish your mission.' Sulamaf said  
'And if I refuse?'

"You will face Lucifer's wrath for all eternity in the lake of fire. This 'Spyro' character is the only dragon who can stop us, now get him out of the way, or it will be curtains for your soul."

Sulamaf charged famalus and re entered his chest, causing him to fall to the ground, coughing.

"Not so rough next time you jerk…" he coughed.

He fell on his bed and slept. 

**there ya go!**


	3. Chapter 3 Conflict Of Interest

CHAPTER 3- CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Spyro awoke the next morning, and actually felt rested for once, not recalling any nightmares.

He got up, and got ready for school. He couldn't believe that the weekend was gone already.

Spyro set off for the temple and met Flame and Ember like he usually did at the intersection of the trails leading to each others houses.

"Hey guys…" Spyro said yawning

"Hey bro, feeling better?" Flame asked

"Yes…I actually got some sleep for once last night."

"Really? No nightmares or anything?" Ember asked

"Nope, last night was a good one."

They continued to the temple and sat down on their respective seats.

Famalus sat behind Spyro taking notes. Not of what Ignitus was talking about, but of Spyro. He was examining every inch of him for weaknesses, vulnerability, and strengths to avoid.

At recess, he met their group at their normal spot.

"Wow, could Ignitus make medieval history any more boring?" Flame said sarcastically

"I don't know, but he said he wants to see me during recess, so I'll see you guys later…" Spyro groaned walking away from his friends and back inside.

"Oh uh…I left my necklace back in the classroom, I'll be right back!" Famalus lied as he dashed inside after Spyro.

"Since when does he wear a necklace?" Flame questioned the oddness of his departure.

SPYRO

What could Ignitus want now? Spyro was getting tired of this

He walked into his office and sat down.

"Spyro, these dreams you've been having are beginning to worry us."

'So? What the hell am I supposed to do about that? I don't control my dreams.' He thought

"Ok. What do you want me to do about them?" he asked, knowing full well the answer

"Spyro…the elders and I feel, that you should stay at the temple with Cynder, so that we may keep an eye on your…stability."

"What do you mean my _stability?_" Spyro snapped, his anger rising but barely showing in his voice.

"We just feel that with the recent outbursts of rage, and these dreams you've been having, it would be better for you if you lived in the temple until we feel…"

"Until you feel what?! That I'm not crazy? That's what you think I am isn't it?" Spyro cut in.

"Spyro, we don't think you're crazy, we just want some time to watch you…"

Spyro thought about it…maybe if he just kept it inside, and proved to them he was fine, he could leave.

"Would my friends be able to visit me?" Spyro asked, his anger slightly fading

"Unfortunately not Spyro…we need to limit outside influences…so no."

His anger returned in full force.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Famalus was right outside Ignitus' office door, hearing the whole thing.

'This is good. Lucifer will be pleased.' Sulamaf whispered

'How is Spyro yelling at Ignitus going to help us?'

'Trust me, it will all become clear to you soon'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Spyro I'm not going to argue with you over this, if you don't let us help you with what you've been dealing with…"

"What I've been dealing with? You know nothing of what I've been dealing with! I didn't ask to be the purple dragon! I didn't ask to be everyone's hero! I didn't ask for any of this!" Spyro's anger was obvious now, something he was always careful to never show in front of the elders, but he couldn't take this anymore.

"All you and the other elders do is send me to do your dirty work. When was the last time you actually fought an enemy? I've just been your tool for all these years, and I won't be anymore! As of right now, you can find a new hero to fight your battles!" Spyro turned and burst through the door, giving famalus just enough time to hide before he was seen.

"Spyro!" Ignitus called as spyro ran out of the temple, spreading his wings, taking to the air.

Flame and Ember saw him takeoff, and followed him.

"Spyro! Where are you going?" Ember shouted as her and Flame tried to keep up.

"Don't follow me! I don't want to hurt you!" he called over his shoulder, letting a familiar rage consume him, a feeling of anger that had become quite familiar to him over the past few weeks.

"Spyro we want to help you!" she yelled back

Spyro turned his head with bloodlust in his eyes, locking eyes with Ember, which made her stop dead in her tracks.

He turned to face her, clearly not himself anymore.

he snarled in a voice much deeper than normal and said

"I need no ones help!"

With that, he launched a massive fireball at the girl he loved, the girl whom he owed his life, and it hit her square in chest, sending her into the dirt.

He didn't even flinch as he watched Ember lay motionless on the ground, bleeding from her chest, barely breathing. Flame was still slightly behind, but saw the whole thing. He rushed to Embers side.

"How…how could he do this?" he asked himself

Famalus was watching all of this from the ground.

'Excellent! Spyro is already filled with anger toward the elders! This will make getting him on our side so much easier!' Sulamaf said excitedly

'This goes against everything I believe in…' Famalus said

'Don't forget why you are here! If you value your freedom, you will complete our mission. It's been 500 years! How much longer do you want us to be stuck in hell?'

'Grrr…you've got a point…'

'I know I do. Now let's get moving! We have to report to Lucifer in half an hour, and he isn't the most patient master in the world.'

Spyro flew for miles, his white hot rage still burning through his veins. He didn't know where he was going, or what he would do when he got there, his only instinct was to run…far away, where no one would ever ask him to save anything, or anyone again.

He wanted to give this up. Other dragons wish they could be in his position, and as far as he was concerned, if there was a way, he would let them take over.

He finally stopped on a snowy mountaintop, seeing a small cave entrance; he staggered in, and collapsed.

Flame waited nervously outside of the operating room, pacing back and forth  
across the floor.

After what felt like hours, the attending surgeon approached him with blood on his scrubs.

"What's it looking like doc?" he asked, afraid of the answer

"Well, the good news is that she is stable and she's going to live.

Flame breathed a sigh of relief, but braced himself for the bad news

"The bad news is that she is in a coma, and we don't know when, or if she will wake up."

The doctor gave his condolences and left.

"Spyro…why? She loves you…what have you done?" Flame whispered to himself as he walked into Ember room, to wait for her arrival.

Ignitus was very worried. Indeed, he had let the only person who could save all of them, fly off into the sky, and hurt the one Spyro cared about the most.

He went to the only person who could deal with Spyro now that Ember wasn't able to.

Cynder.

He found her in the bedroom they gave her. She didn't have a family, and most of the other dragons were still afraid of her, which is why Ignitus taught her separately from the rest of the dragons her age.

She was quietly reading one of the books Ignitus had given her for one of her birthdays.

"Cynder, I have a mission for you."

"Really? What is it?" she said, her voice perking up a bit since all she had done in the past few weeks was either stay in the hospital, or learn from Ignitus, but she rarely left the temple. The only time she would leave is with spyro.

"Its Spyro."

"What? Did something happen to him? Is he ok?" she asked concerned about the only friend she had.

"I don't know…he flew off toward the northern mountains. I believe he has taken shelter in the mountain ranges. What I require of you Cynder, is that you find Spyro, and try to convince him to come back. We are highly vulnerable without him."

"Yes sir…but what makes you think he will listen to me?"

"Because Cynder, Spyro and yourself share a special bond. You are both warriors, you are both dragons, but above all, you are both friends."

Cynder felt empowered by Ignitus' words. She set off in the direction that Spyro was last seen, not knowing that she was being followed quietly by Famalus.

'You can't let her get to him before you do! Fly faster damn it!' Sulamaf yelled inside his head.

'Quiet you! I control my body!' he snapped back

Famalus hugged the ground as he flew, quickly passing Cynder without her noticing him.

He flew as if his life depended on it, and finally saw Spyro's tail sticking out of a cave.

"Bingo."

He landed in the cave and saw that he was out cold.

"Ok…Sulamaf, work your magic…" Famalus closed his eyes and concentrated.

A puff of black smoke surrounded him only for a second, but when the smoke cleared; his colors were reversed to Sulamaf's form. His eyes changed from their normal ice blue, to a dark red.

"Ok…this is more like it." Sulamaf said grinning.

'Be careful with that body! That's the only one I've got!'

"Hey no backseat driving! Anyway, I've got a soul to steal.'

Sulamaf walked over to spyro and gently shook him.

"Spyro? You ok buddy?" he said, pretending to be Famalus.

He stirred, and then focused his vision on the person in front of him.

"Wha…Famalus? What are you doing here?"

"The elders sent Cynder to find you, but I knew I had to find you first. I've seen the way the elders treat you. They think you can just drop everything and do what they want whenever they want it."

Spyro knew he was right, but how did he know he felt that way?

"Yeah…how did you know?"

"I could tell by the way you've been acting, and I want to help you."

Spyro lay there in silence.

'Hey, you better hurry this up, because Cynder is only about twenty minutes away!'

Sulamaf knew he had to hurry.

"Look, what if I told you I knew of a way you could fulfill your true potential, and the elders, and all the other dragons in all creation would fear you?"

This idea was very enticing to him…but this sounded a lot like the way the dark master tempted Deo all those years ago.

"What about my friends? Will I be able to keep them safe?"

"Of course. With the power you will receive, anything is possible."

Spyro considered this offer…he would finally be free of responsibility, he would actually be the strongest being in all of Avalar. To him, this was hardly a choice at all.

"So…do we have an accord?" what Spyro thought was famalus said as he extended his black hand.

Cynder saw the cave, and what she thought was Famalus, but the colors were different.

But she sensed that this new guy was evil. He had its stench all over him.

"Spyro stop! Don't do this! He is just like the dark master!"

"No Cynder, he is right. All the elders have done is hold me back, I want power! And he is the only one that has offered it, and for once, I'm going to take it!"

Spyro put his hand in, sealing the deal. A purple flash radiated across the mountains, knocking the snow off of them, and knocking Cynder unconscious, and into the snow. 

**Lots of questions still to be answered! **


	4. Chapter 4 In Your Eyes

CHAPTER 4- IN YOUR EYES

Cynder awoke to the bitter cold of the high altitude of the mountaintops, the snow, beginning to cover her wings and back legs. The shockwave of whatever happened in that cave was enough to knock her out for a few minutes.

She shook off the snow and flew toward the cave where he last saw Spyro.

She arrived, only to find a dying Famalus, with the strange black markings now gone from his body, revealing his shiny white scales.

"Cynder…your friend Spyro…is…under Lucifer's control now…"

"You did this to him! Why?! Answer me or so help me I will make your final minutes the most painful experience of your life!" she spat grabbing him.

"Not me…Sulamaf…"

"Who?"

"My dark side…he is in control of Spyro now…and he is going to…release…hell upon this world."

"What do you mean hell? Is this the Dark Master's work?" she asked, still holding him painfully by the wings.

"Ha…the Dark Master is dead…he was no match for Lucifer…"

"Who the hell is Lucifer!?" Cynder yelled, showing her anger toward the person responsible for the loss of her only friend.

"Exactly. Lucifer is evil incarnate…he is…the master of hell, and he has an unlimited number of…damned souls at his disposal, ready to kill at his word…"

Worse than the Dark Master? How could that be? He was the most powerful being they knew of, it was inconceivable of someone or something more powerful than he.

"Why Spyro? Why did you go after him?"

"For the same reason anyone does…because he is the purple dragon…only he can open the portal to hell, and set Lucifer free to reign darkness over this world, and all others."

Cynder felt helpless, she didn't know where Spyro went, and she wanted desperately to save him like he had done for her…but this was no time for brash action.

"Why would you do this?" she asked slamming him hard into the ice of the cave wall.

"He promised me freedom… but…I should've known…he would betray me…Cynder…I have brought pain on innocent people…I'm sorry…hell is the only place I deserve…"

with that, he took his last breaths, and his body fell over onto the floor.

"You may be a filthy lying son of a bitch, but at least you repented in the end…" she said as she lit his body on fire, watching as her flames consumed him. She flew back to avalar,  
to inform the others of what just happened.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Flame waited by Embers bedside as he listened to her steady heartbeat, which were announced by the EKG machine.

"Please Ember…wake up…please…" Flame prayed as he just watched her.

She just lay there, motionless…contrary to her placid exterior; her mind was furiously at work.

She found herself in her and spyro's favorite spot, the hilltop above the clouds, the only thing wrong was that she was there alone.

She looked around, and called Spyro's name. The only reply was her echo, as it bounced endlessly around the high hilltops. The serenity was exactly as she remembered…but  
something wasn't right. As she looked out over the expanse of clouds, she noticed a small red spot in the center of a cloud. It slowly grew bigger and intensified until the cloud was entirely blood red. Ember took a step back as the ground beneath her feet began to shiver. Up from the clouds rose a monster dragon, which dwarfed her size at least ten fold.

There was something familiar about him…she saw the black tribal markings that Famalus had, but the scales weren't white…they were purple… this abomination was Spyro. The one that meant everything to her was now a minion of evil. No longer the kind caring dragon she once knew, now a hate filled beast with an uncontrollable thirst for blood.

_Seemed to stop my breath  
My head on your chest  
Waiting to cave in  
From the bottom of my...  
Hear your voice again  
Could we dim the sun  
And wonder where we've been  
_  
Ember felt tears forming in her eyes. The only dragon she had loved…her first and her last, her alpha and her omega,  
(A/N another biblical reference. Look it up yo)  
her beginning, and her end, was now trying to kill her.  
_  
Maybe you and me  
So kiss me like you did  
My heart stopped beating  
Such a softer sin_

He landed in front of her, he was now bigger than even Cynder had been, he looked down at her tearing eyes in disgust.  
He leaned in close to her and said  
"Tears are for the weak."

_(I'm melting, I'm melting)  
In your eyes  
I lost my place  
Could stay a while  
And I'm melting  
In your eyes  
Like my first time  
That I caught fire  
Just stay with me  
Lay with me  
Now_

Spyro was in his new chamber, trying to rest, but none would come.  
He extended his hand and held it in front of him, looking at the tribal black markings that now swirled around his claw. Why couldn't he sleep? It seemed like he should be remembering something…it's as if he has chunks of memory he can't recall…

_Never caught my breath  
Every second I'm without you I'm a mess  
Ever know each other  
Trust these words are stones  
why cuts aren't healing  
Learning how to love_

Spyro stood in front of Ember still, as he charged up an electricity shot, which grew to an enormous size.  
"Spyro…why?"

_I'm melting (I'm melting)  
In your eyes  
I lost my place  
Could stay a while  
And I'm melting  
In your eyes  
Like my first time  
That I caught fire  
Just stay with me  
Lay with me  
(Stay with me lay with me now)_

Something in Spyro's heart wouldn't let him sleep, he went outside and looked up at the blood red sky, and over hells vast expanses of pain and suffering.  
"All this will be yours when you free me from this prison." Lucifer's voice rang out seemingly out of nowhere.  
"I know…"

_You could stay and watch me fall  
And of course I'll ask for help  
Just stay with me now  
Take my hand  
We could take our heads off  
stay in bed just make love that's all  
Just stay with me now_

_I'm melting (I'm melting)  
In your eyes  
I lost my place  
Could stay a while  
and I'm melting  
_

Spyro had no answer for her, he fired his lightning at her, and she let it envelope her, wanting not to live if she couldn't live with Spyro.

_In your eyes  
Like my first time  
That I caught fire  
Just stay with me  
Lay with me  
In your eyes  
I lost my place  
Could stay a while  
and I'm melting  
In your eyes  
Like my first time  
That I caught fire  
Just stay with me lay with me  
(Stay with me, lay with me)_

Spyro knew it was something…maybe someone, he remembered. What seemed like a bad dream came flooding back to him, his memories of Amber, and the time he had spent with her, and how Deo still had her. This enraged him; he would make sure Deo would pay. That was number one on his list.

_In your eyes  
Let's sleep till the sun burns out  
I'm melting in your eyes (I'm melting in your eyes)  
Let's sleep till the sun burns out  
I'm melting in your eyes_

Flame noticed a tear on Embers cheek.

He wiped it off gently and kissed her on the cheek as he left for the night.

He tried to find Ignitus, but ended up running into Cynder.

Flame had never really spent much time around her, so much like everybody else; he was suspicious of her, and still fearful.

"Um…hi Cynder…whats the hurry?"

"Its Spyro! I saw chased him down to the mountains and he made some kind of deal with Famalus or…Sulamaf or who ever…and something named Lucifer is trying to take over the realms…I just follow me! I have to tell Ignitus anyway."

He followed Cynder down the hallways until they came to the elder's chambers.

She informed them all of the tragic news.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Spyro was in his chamber most of the day (if you could call it that, it was mostly dim red light all the time)  
sharpening his fighting skills until he was sure he could take anything the elders threw at him.

"Lord Spyro, Lucifer requires you in his throne room at once." A demon said, not daring to make eye contact with him.

"Be gone demon." He said throwing him out the window and onto the rock below.

He got to Lucifer's throne room and bowed.

"What is your bidding, my master?"

"I know of your thoughts Spyro, you seek revenge against the one called Deo." Is this correct?"

"It is, my lord."

"Then that is your first mission. You must find and kill this 'Deo' and return to me, his head, so that I may add another skull to my throne."

"Yes Lucifer, by your command." He stood and left to the portal room.

All of Avalar was about to get a taste of the new Spyro. It would be a sour taste indeed.

**If you haven't ever heard the song I used in this chapter, go here,  
**

and give it a listen while you read if u want. I don't own it, the used does.


	5. Chapter 5 Spyro's Revenge

CHAPTER 5- SPYRO'S REVENGE

Flame was back in Embers hospital room, wishing, like he did everyday, for her to wake up, though as much as he hoped, she seemed unresponsive.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
The elders gathered in their chamber, in the dim light of the torches, they tried to think of their next move.

"Ignitus…it is as we feared. The promise has now come full circle." Cyril started off.

Ignitus was silent, as he knew he had a hand in the promise of which they spoke.

"I…am aware of this…"

"Why would you make such a deal with a character whose morality is clearly in question?" Voltier asked

"Spyro's parents and I did what we thought was best at the time. We did it to protect all the dragons."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Terrador said

"We must attempt to rescue him…if we can't…then he must be killed."

The room went silent at the very suggestion of trying to end the life of the dragon that saved their lives countless times.

"Then it is agreed. If Spyro cannot be reclaimed…then he must be destroyed."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Spyro stood at the portal to Avalar. He had his sights set on one goal. Kill Deo, and collect his head. He had a sword the was forged from the very bottom of Lucifer's domain. It was enchanted so that when it was drawn, it lit ablaze. He walked through the portal in his jet black armor, appearing in the field he had sat with Amber and his friends eating sheep. He knew exactly were to find Deo, and he set off in his direction.

Spyro flew for an hour flanked by two dreadwings.

He landed outside Deo's house. He heard two voices inside the house. It was Amber and Deo, and as Spyro predicted, they were fighting.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Deo was babysitting his two cousins this night. They two young dragons (about 9 years old) sat in their bedroom with the door closed and the lights off, telling ghost stories by flashlight.

Charran had just finished his.

"So did you hear about what happened to Spyro?" he asked

"No, what?" Furnace asked

"I heard that he got taken by the devil himself!"

"No way! The dark master possessed him like he did with that scary Cynder lady?"

"No, this guy was way more evil than the Dark Master, I heard he killed him!"

"Naw uh!! Ignitus taught us that nobody is worse than him!"

"I heard him talking with some of the other elders about it! He said his name is Lucifer, the master of hell!"

"What do you think hell is like?"

"I don't know…bet its pretty bad though." Charran stopped talking when he heard amber and Deo's argument get louder.

"Uh oh…looks like Deo and Amber are fighting again" furnace said

"I hate it when they fight…" Charran said sadly.

They heard a thud, and then the sound of something breaking, which made them jump. They slowly cracked the door and peeked their heads out. They saw Amber on the ground  
and Deo standing over her, his fist clenched, and a few dark crystals on the table. He had been using them again.

"Don't hurt her Deo! Charran called from the hallway

"Shut the hell up you little bastard!" Deo snapped back as he blew Flames in his direction, burning his side. He crawled back into the room where he sat against the door and cried.  
Furnace was just as afraid as he was, and that's when he heard Deo's footsteps coming toward the door.

"Oh please…gods, don't let him in here!" he whispered, moving Charran to the side of the wall with him to try and hide in case he came in.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE

Spyro could hear their argument getting louder.

He then heard something break, and then heard thuds inside the house.

"See what you made me do?!" Deo yelled from inside. Spyro heard no response from Amber.

He could take no more. Even though he was under Lucifer's control, he still felt for Amber. He signaled for the dreadwings to stay outside while he drew his sword, which instantly caught fire as it should. He blew the door off its hinges and stepped into the house.

His black battle armor glistened brilliantly in the light of his flaming sword.

He saw Amber on the floor, and she looked up at him, deep into his dark purple, almost black eyes.

She knew why he was here without him saying a word.

"Who the hell are you?" Deo spat at the intruder, turning away from the door he was about to open.

He slowly turned his head and pointed his sword at him.

"I am here, to collect your head." He said emotionless

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Deo's footsteps stopped. Furnace looked out the door and saw the massive figure in black armor with a fiery sword.

"Its Spyro!" he gasped

"He will tell Deo to stop! I knew he wasn't evil!" furnace said with hope, because even though Deo had tried to burn his other cousin, he was still family.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I won't go down without a fight!" Deo said, still obviously high on dark crystals, since he challenged a dragon ten times his size with armor and wielding a flaming sword.

Deo charged him and Spyro grabbed him around his neck with his free hand. He turned to Amber.

"Don't watch Amber." He said with the little bit of compassion left in his demonic voice.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Furnace was about to witness the unthinkable, the commitment of a realm-wide hero, to the side of darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Amber covered her eyes as she heard Deo scream, and then stop as she felt a warm liquid splatter on herself.

She looked up, and Spyro was standing over her. She was deathly afraid of him. He leaned in and touched her wounds with a red crystal, and they healed instantly. And in the time it took her to blink, he was gone, leaving only Deo's body.

She looked at it, with her whole body shivering in fear. On Deo's chest, a pentagram was burned, with a large S in the middle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Revenge was not something Spyro got to practice under the elders rules. He had to admit it felt good to right a few wrongs done to him in the past.

He ripped open a portal to hell and stepped into his chamber.

He then felt a stinging on his cheek below his right eye.

He covered it with his hand and noticed that the mark was glowing. He looked into a mirror and saw that there was now a small black tear drop below his right eye.

"What the hell is this?" Spyro asked out loud

"That, my servant, is the mark of the Angel of death. For every life you end, another mark, you shall receive." Lucifer said, his voice coming from everywhere as it usually did.

"Now bring me Deo's head."

Spyro did as he was told and retired to his chamber, wondering who his next target would be.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Flame was outside embers hospital room. This was the third time today that Ember had gone into cardiac arrest. The crash team was in there trying to save her again.

They came out of her room, only this time, they didn't look happy.

The head surgeon approached Flame.

"I'm sorry Flame, she couldn't hold on."

Flame was in shock. Ember…gone? How? How could she just give up? How could she leave him like this?

"Thanks doc…" he said walking past him and into her room where she lay, finally at peace.

"Oh Ember…I love you…I'm sorry Spyro did this to you…I should've taken the hit…I'm so sorry Ember…" he said as he grabbed her lifeless hand and held it close to him as he

cried, silently weeping, remembering all the memories they had made, back when everything was normal…and how nothing would ever be the same again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Spyro was in his bed, but sleep would not come. Something was keeping him awake again.

Then he felt a familiar burning sensation near the mark he had gotten earlier, except a little below it.

He looked in the mirror, and saw his second tear drop.

**Looks like spyro is in really deep...is there any hope for him? and what is this promise ignitus and the elders were speaking of? stay tuned! and sorry it took so dam long!**


	6. Chapter 6 The Promise Revealed

CHAPTER 6- THE PROMISE REVEALED

The elders were once again convened in their chamber.

"Spyro has claimed his first soul! We must stop him before he takes a second victim!" Terrador said firmly

"He has already taken a second victim… Ember died of her wounds late last night." Flame said, appearing from the shadows in the corner of the room.

This was sad news for all the elders, as Spyro and his friends were all like children to them.

"I heard you talking about this 'promise' Spyro's parents made, what is the deal?" Flame demanded.

"That information is of the utmost secrecy Flame-"Voltier began, but was cut off by Ignitus

"We might as well tell him what is happening, he is Spyro's closest friend."

Ignitus recounted the tales of long ago…of the times long before any of them were born.

_FLASHBACK_

_"It was a very dark time for all dragons. The dark master waged his merciless war upon us, and our only hope was the previous purple dragon, Terok, who fought valiantly and killed many of the dark master's soldiers. His wife Calypsa was pregnant when the promise was made…_

_Ignitus stepped into Teroks cave from the pouring rain.  
_

_"Hello Ignitus, what news do you bring from the front?" he asked  
_

_"None good I'm afraid…the dark masters forces outnumber us three to one. He is using the immortals with frightening effectiveness…soon there will only be a few dragons left at all."  
_

_"Don't speak like that Ignitus! There is always hope, no matter how desperate the conditions. There is always a way to win." Terok said_

_ "Well…we have one of the ape shamen who defected to our side. He has told us of an entity more powerful that the dark master himself, and he knows how to summon him." Ignitus said, waiting to gage Teroks reaction.  
_

_"Take me to him, and I will see what we can negotiate with him. I'll tell Calypsa and then we can go."  
_

_"Well…they said to bring her as well."  
_

_"What? She isn't in the condition to travel to the temple."  
_

_"Its ok, I can teleport you there, just hurry, we don't have much time."_

_They arrived at the temple in its main chamber to find a blood red portal open in the center of the room.  
_

_"What is all this Ignitus?"  
_

_"If the information the ape shaman gave us is correct, it is our path to victory against the dark master."  
_

_They stepped to the edge of the portal, and Ignitus chanted in Latin, causing the portal to shine brilliantly, before a blood red dragon that was three times the size of all of the elders and even Spyro's father. He appeared at the entrance of the portal, but was somehow, a part of it, restricting his ability to move around.  
_

_"Who are you?" Terok asked.  
_

_"I am Lucifer. I have assumed this form, because my true form would be incomprehensible to you."  
_

_"We come to you with one desire. We need you to endow one of us with enough power to defeat the dark master's forces."  
"It is possible to do so, but it must be done at birth. I see that Calypsa is with child. If you are willing, I can pass my almighty powers on to him…but it will come at a price."  
_

_They room fell silent…how steep would this price be?  
_

_"Terok, Spyro is our last hope…what is your answer?" Ignitus asked.  
_

_Terok looked into his wife's eyes, searching for an answer.  
_

_"What is the price?" Terok asked  
_

_ "When he is born, you two will die, and join me in the fire, and once his task is complete, he will return to you." Lucifer said.  
_

_"So…if we do this, we die when Spyro is born, but when he defeats the dark master, we can see him again?" Calypsa asked  
_

_"That is correct."  
_

_She grabbed Teroks hand and squeezed it tightly.  
_

_"Ok…do it."  
_

_Lucifer smile and a piece of paper appeared out of fire with a red feather quill.  
_

_"You sign here, and you sign here. Ignitus, you are the witness, so you sign here."  
_

_After the signing was complete, Lucifer shot a black beam of energy at Calypsa's stomach, and then disappeared, taking the portal with him.  
_

_"Do the other elders know about this?" Terok asked  
_

_"No…but I will inform them as soon as I see them." Ignitus said_

END FLASHBACK

"So you sold Spyro's parents souls to the devil, and by association, him?"

"It sure seems like it…he said he would be returned to them, but since they are there, and so is Spyro, in a way, the promise is now fulfilled." Ignitus said, knowing it was him that introduced the idea in the first place.

"Pointing fingers now will solve nothing, now is the time for action. Gather all able dragons, and post them at Cynders room, she is likely the next target." Cyril ordered as he left.

Cynder walked down the hallway to her room, where Flame and two dragon guards stood in front of her room.

"Cynder…I have some bad news." Flame said softly.

"What is it?" she asked, completely unaware of the loss of Ember.

"You may want to sit down for this…" Flame said opening the door to her room, allowing her to enter.

Cynder sat down on her bed, and Flame sat beside her.

"So what is this bad news?" she asked

"It's about Ember…" Flame started to choke up, tears formed in his eyes as he looked away from Cynder.

"What happened?"

"She's…gone…Cynder." Flame said trying to regain his composure.

"What? I thought she was in the hospital…"

"She died late last night…" Flame whispered

Cynder didn't know what to say…first Spyro, now Ember…it felt like everyone who cared about her was disappearing. Ember was the only female dragon that would even dare look her way without fear. She was the only one who knew the real Cynder…she could tell her things she couldn't even tell Spyro…and now, her best friend was taken from her…by the only male dragon who ever cared enough to get to know her, no less.

"Flame…I…oh god…Ember…" Cynder stammered as she started to cry as well. She buried her head in Flames chest and cried the hardest she had ever remembered.

Flame stroked her head and spikes, trying to reassure her, although this was still traumatic to him as well.

"Shhhh…its gonna be ok Cynder…she's in…a better place…now." Flame said as tears ran down his face.

They talked for an hour before Cynder was having trouble holding her eyes open.

"Goodnight Cynder…two guards are outside your door, and two are outside mine, in case Spyro comes during the night."

"Goodnight Flame." She said as he closed her door, and she got ready for bed.

Cynder lay awake for what felt like hours, though it was only about one or two.

Her eyes started getting heavy, and her blinks began to last longer each time.

She closed her eyes for a few seconds, then opened them, and jumped, letting out a small yelp.

Spyro put his massive hand over her mouth.

"If you scream, you die." He said in a deeper voice which was not the one she remembered.

He removed his hand and he drew his sword and stuck it into the ground, giving them light from its flames.

"Spyro? What has happened to you?" she said, noticing the black tribal markings that Famalus had, his now almost black eyes, and his two teardrop marks below his eye.

"I have recognized my true power. Lucifer has given me unlimited strength, and for that, I serve him." He said coldly.

"What are those, under your eye?" she asked without fear, unlike the other dragons that lay eyes upon him in his new form.

"They are the marks of the angel of death. I get one for every time I harvest a soul for my master."

"How could you kill Ember? Spyro she loved you!" Cynder said quietly but angrily

"Ember? I did no such thing."

"Liar! You killed her the day you flew off from the temple!"

"If she was stronger, then she would still be here."

Cynder was in disbelief. Did he just say that?

"How could you say that? How could you take life so lightly?"

"I carry out my orders as told, and nothing more."

"So is that why you are here? To kill me?"

"No. now is not your time. Your head is not required to free Lucifer."

"Then I will fight you with everything I've got, until your are back with us."

"That won't happen. I am more powerful than you could ever imagine. Fighting me would be suicide."

"Don't be so sure you are invincible."

"Don't worry. I am. And by the way, I'd keep an eye on the elders if I were you." Spyro said pulling his sword out of the ground and putting it back in its sheath, causing the room to go dark once more. Cynder turned the lights on and the guards burst in.

"Ms. Cynder! Is everything ok? We saw the lights come on." The first one said

"No, everything is fine…what is this?"

There was the same symbol that was on Deo's body burned on the floor.

**Sorry this update took so long! Halo 3 has taken control of my life. noob pwning is too much fun.**


	7. Chapter 7 Demonic Defector

CHAPTER 7 – DEMONIC DEFECTOR

the next day, Cynder awoke and told the elders of her encounter the night before.

"He came to your room? How? You have no windows, and the only way in is through the door where the guards were."Ignitus reasoned

"He doesn't need doors apparently…he just appeared in the time it took me to blink." She said

"We should have known of his capabilities, but why did he not attack you?" Cyril asked

"He told me my head was not required to free Lucifer." She said soberly.

"He is more than likely trying for you, elder Ignitus, as well as the rest of you."

"We must protect each other. If Lucifer is freed to walk the surface, then there will be no battle like there was with the dark master…there will be no chance of fighting back. He has an unlimited number of damned souls to fight for him, and without Spyro, our only logical option is surrender." Terrador said sternly.

"The only chance we have is to get Spyro back, and defeat Lucifer." Ignitus said

"You can't defeat Lucifer. He is immortal. The only way to stop him is to keep him from opening portals into your realm." A voice said from the shadows. It was a demon, causing the dragons to be on the offensive, ready to strike immediately should the need arise.

"Easy elders, he means us no harm. He came alone." Ignitus stated, sensing no life forms other than their own.

"Yes, I come needing your aid, and I know you also need mine. I cant stay for long, but I can give you inside information as to Lucifers plans. Unfortunately, only he and Spyro know the way to free him, so I will tell you what I can when I find it out." It said in a strangely echoing voice.

"This is good, but what to you want from us in return?" Cyril asked

"Just to promise me one thing."

"And that would be?" Terrador asked

"Freedom. Free me from the depths of hell. I've been trapped there for 500 years. I thought I could escape once, but I was betrayed. Just give me your word that you will set my soul free."

"Fine. You have my word. But why help us?" Ignitus asked

"Well…I guess you could say I have a few skeletons in my closet about all this that has happened over the past few weeks…" he said as he opened a portal back to hell and turned his back on them as he stepped towards it.

"Wait, you never told us your name!" Cynder said as he stepped halfway through it."Just call me Famalus."And in a flash of red, he was gone, leaving a pentagram burned on the floor, in the same fashion Spyro's had.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

EMBER

Ember awoke in a very calming place. The sky was a pristine blue, with a few wispy clouds, and large crystal towers in the distance. The grass was the most green she had ever seen, and the softest she had ever felt. She looked at herself in one of the lakes surrounding pasture, she had a white robe on with a gold sash.

"What is this? Where am I?" she asked herself.

She felt a tap on her shoulder, making her jump.

"Hello Ember." She turned and found a red male dragon and a white female standing behind her.

"Who are you?"

They smiled widely as they looked at each other.

"We are your Guardian Spirits." the female said

"What? what do you mean, 'guardian spirits?'"

"Oh dear, Coran nobody has told her."

"Told me what? What is this place?"

"Ember…this place is heaven…"She was shocked.

"What? I'm-I'm d-dead?" she stammered

"Yes sweetheart, unfortunately, you are.""But how?""Think back to your last memory…what do you see?" Coran asked

"I remember…that Spyro ran off somewhere…then I followed him..then I saw a bright flash, and that's it."

Coran looked at Nera concerned, and she returned his expression.

"Ember…it was Spyro that killed you."

"What?!" She said loudly, echoing endlessly

"That's not true, he loved me!" she shouted

"It's the truth honey, you must believe us…we saw it happen…" Nera said with a tear in her eye

"What do you mean you watched it happen? what kind of guardian spirits are you if you let me die?" Ember asked

"it was your time to join us, we were not allowed to interfere..." Nera said

"Come with us, we'll show you what we mean." Coran said as they flew toward the crystal palace in the distance beyond the mountains.

Upon arrival, they knocked on the large door, and it opened into a flooding white light.They entered a huge room with a large pool of emerald liquid inside an ornately carved pedestal. Other dragons wearing the same clothes as Ember and her parents went about their business inside the castle as they ascended the stairs to another set of huge doors, that had ancient symbols and battles depicted on it. Above the door, the inscription, 'leges en moritas' was written.

"What does that mean?" Ember asked

"It means, justice in death. It was written in ancient draconic."

They entered the chamber of a huge white dragon, Shaydo.

"Shaydo, we wish to look upon the world below." Coran said

"Very well, my child, the pool of clairvoyance is yours to operate." He said as his voice boomed through his chambers.

"Thank you gracious Shaydo." They said as they left his chambers.

"Who was that?" ember asked

"That was the elders." Nera answered.

"Which ones?"

"All of them"

"Huh?"

"When an elder dies, their spirit becomes a part of Shaydo, the protector of this place, and all that is good."

They reached the emerald pool downstairs and stared back at their reflections.

"Just say the name of the person you wish to see." Coran said

Ember looked into the depths of the liquid and said, "Spyro."The pool began to swirl and soon the image of a beast in black armor with black tribal markings took shape.

"What? This cant be right. That isn't Spyro…"

"I'm afraid it is Ember…the pool never lies." She felt a tear forming in her eyes, and it dropped from her snout into the green liquid which rippled Spyro's image. Nera put her arm around her "I'm so sorry Ember." She said soothingly"Spyro…no…"

CYNDER

Flame and Cynder walked down the many temple steps, into the dragon village, and sat down on a bench and watched as countless dragons went about thier business, unaware of the impending danger, that only they, and the elders kew about.

"Look at them Flame...they have no idea the danger that they're in..."

"I know... ignorance is bliss..." he responded

Cynder looked at Flame.

Something about him changed, he was no longer the immature twin of Spyro.

No, something about him was now more serious, more mature than before. the spark of his youth that she had always seen in him was slowly fading away. although she had to admit, she was interested by this.

It began to get dark, and soon the village square in which they sat was illuminated only by the streetlamps.

The temperture started to drop, and Flame noticed Cynder beginning to shiver slightly.

He put his arm around her and she got closer to keep warm, the thought of just going inside not crossing either ones mind.

"I remember the first day I met spyro...it was after I first moved to Avalar, and I didnt know anybody, and I was kind of an outsider, not to mention small for my age. I got picked on a lot, until one day Spyro stood up for me, and then it all stopped. I still owe him for that." flame joked and Cynder giggled.

"Yeah, I remember when Spyro saved me from the dark master's grip...I always thought he was cute, but he is too sought after for me..." she reminisced

"To sought after for you? I dont know if you know this Cynder, but you are pretty attractive, even if most of the dragons our age cower in fear of you." he said laughing slightly

"I dont know, I just could never really see myself with him...I dont know why...I just cant."

"Thats ok. Just because you're a female doesnt mean you are required to like Spyro." he said softly, his tone growing softer as they both came closer to each other for warmth.

"But just out of curiosity...who could you see yourself with?" he asked praying his cander would impress her

She looked up at him and smiled, then leaned in the extra inch so her lips touched his.

There was no tongue, but it was one of the most intense kisses either of them had ever experienced.

A slight rain began to fall and they decided to call it a night.

Flame walked Cynder back to her room in the temple, then went to his own, and lay awake thinking about how to keep the elders from killing his best friend.

"Damn...this is gonna be tough..."

**It's back!! just jacked my roomates laptop cuz i am tired of waiting for mine. anyways, the next chapter of DarkStar will be up following this one. Peace!**


	8. Chapter 8 Devine Intervention

CHAPTER 8- DIVINE INTERVENTION

The ground shook under Ember's feet as she looked up from the liquid and at her guardians.

"What was that?"

Coran and Nera exchanged glances of immense concern before addressing her question.

"Lucifers power is growing more and more every day." Coran said softly

"Come with us Ember, we'll show you our situation." Nera said as she followed them into a room with a large ceiling, in what appeared to be a library.

They sat down at one of the many tables toward the back, so they wouldnt be disturbed.

"What is this place?" Ember asked craning her neck to try and see the top of the ceiling, only to see that it was obstructed by what she thought were clouds inside the building.

"This is the library of Infinite knowledge. All information on any topic, all right here."Coran replied

'The professor would have a heart attack...' Ember thought smiling slightly

"Anyway, back to your original question, you see, our predicament is this;  
long ago, when the Great Ancestor created the universe, everything was to his liking. There was no knowledge of the difference between good and evil. The Great Ancestor had made his second in command a spirit named Lucifer, and for thousands of years, there was peace as life began to blossom across the universe. But soon, Lucifer grew jealous of the Great Ancestors power. One day, he enlisted 1/3 of the spirits in this realm, and led a rebellion against Him. Lucifer and his armies took heavy losses, and the Great Ancestor cursed him and his army to the fiery pits of hell, and sent all damned souls to him, which is where we are now. He was never much of a threat, until he got his hands on this new enforcer, the one you know as Spyro. He holds the key to freeing Lucifer to attack any realm, and taking over the universe, the darkness of 1000 nights will settle over all you know and never let up if he succeeds. The shaking you felt earlier was an energy shockwave being released from Lucifers realm, a sign of his growing power."

Ember took a moment to absorb what was just revealed to her. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed a few seconds after, being at a loss for words.

"So...what do we do now? Are we just waiting for him to attack us?" she asked regaining her composure

Nera and Coran just smiled

"What? did I miss something?" Ember asked with a confused look

"Shaydo will protect us, he has the ultimate weapon against hell. a beam of concentrated light energy, that he will fire right into the center of hell, destroying all of its inhabitants! Forever!" Nera said happily.

"What?! They cant destroy Hell! Not while Spyro is still down there!" Ember said worried as she stood up from her chair.

Now it was Coran and Nera that looked confused.

"We have to destroy Lucifer so he doesn't attack us!" Nera reasoned

"Lucifer isn't who I'm worried about! If you destroy hell, then you destroy Spyro!"

"The Spyro you saw isn't the one you remember...He is evil now...He's under Lucifers control now." Coran said softly, hugging Ember.

"No...it cant be true! He cant be all evil...I can save him!" she said breaking away from her guardians embrace.

"Even if you could, how do you think you will get...down there." Coran said pointing down, not wanting to say the actual name of the place

"You mean you dont know?" she asked

"No..." they answered together

"Then I know someone who does!" Ember said running from the library and back up the steps to the huge door that led them to Shaydo.

"Ember! You cant just barge into the creator of the universe's chambers without an appointment!" Nera shouted after her

She burst through it, seeing the all powerful entity once again in his chambers.

"Shaydo! When are you planning on destroying Hell?" Ember demanded

"Soon enough my child. Why do you require such knowledge?"

"Spyro is Lucifer's new servant, and I want to rescue him before you...you know...destroy everything." Ember answered

Shaydo was silent as his bright green eyes examined her, thinking hard before answering her.

"I know you care a great deal about him. You have three days to save Spyro. I would give you longer, but the denizens of this realm clamor for the death of the evil one. After three days, if you are still there, you will suffer the fate of the damned."

"Ok, but how can I get there from here?" she asked, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

"Since you have already died, you can no longer inhabit a physical body, so you must enter Hell as a spirit. One cannot go directly from here to there, so you must go to another entrance...it is located on another planet, known as Mars. I can open a portal and point you in the proper direction, but I can't put you directly on the planet unfortunately...it'll take about a day to get there, so use your time wisely."

Shaydo traced a circle with his claw, and a bright portal appeared and inside the circle was space, with stars, nebulas, and all kinds of intergalactic wonders strewn about the void of space.

"Well? What is the matter my child?"

"How am I going to breathe?" Ember asked as rationality returned as her adrenaline wore off

"Why do you need to breathe?" Shaydo asked

"Oh right..." Ember said embarrassed as she cautiously stepped through the portal, and it closed in a flash behind her. She looked around and felt nothing beneath her, and she felt as though she was floating, which she was. In front of her was a massive red planet. To the right of her was a slightly more colorful planet, and a very bright star.

"Hm...how do I go forward?" as soon as she thought about it, she began to move forward toward Mars.

"Ok! Now lets see how fast I can go!"

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Flame woke up early the next morning and saw Cynder in the main hall eating breakfast and reading what looked like a very old book  
written in a language he didn't recognize.

"Hey Cynder, what's that?" Flame said sitting down across from her.

"Its a book I found in the back of the library...but I'm having a hard time reading it...I only know a little bit of Ancient Draconian."

Flame looked over the edge of the book to see if he recognized anything. He didn't.

Cynder looked up from it and said

"You know Flame, reading over someones shoulder is kind of rude."

"I'm not reading over your shoulder...I'm not reading that at all. What is that book about?" Flame said sitting back down

Its an old spell book...it might tell me a way we can rescue Spyro before the elders try and kill him."

"Any luck so far?" Flame asked

"So far all I have is a fragment of a portal opening spell." she said sadly

"Keep working at it, I'll get something to eat." Flame said getting up

Cynder sat there trying to translate the extinct tongue all day, and only had two lines of what appeared to be a 15 line spell.

"Ugh this is taking way too long!" Cynder said dropping the book on the table, her voice and its loud thud echoing across the empty hall.

"There has to be a better way to do this..." then it hit her, Famalus! surely he knows how to read this.

She took the book of the table and ran outside into the sunlight for the first time that day, the sunlight absorbing into her jet black scales making them warmer than usual.

Flame was napping under a nearby tree as Cynder ran towards him. Her footsteps woke him slightly but he didnt open his eyes, so she grabbed his arm and yanked him up to his feet.

"Whoa! Wha...oh Cynder...what's the rush?" Flame asked still very sleepy

"I know how we can get this translated! we need to find Famalus."

"The demon? what do we need him for?"

"He said he's been around for 500 years, the same time the last recorded speaker of this language died! So he has to know how to read this!" she said excited

She spread her wings and took off toward the cave where she last saw him, and Flame followed suit.

They flew toward the snowy mountain range and Cynder stopped and hovered in one spot.

"Well? Why did you stop?" Flame yelled over the howling winds.

"I'm trying to remember which cave it was!" She yelled back

She tried to visualize what she saw the day Spyro was taken...and remembered which one it was.

Cynder flew fast to the cave, leaving Flame behind as he tried to catch up.

"This is it...see? There is Famalus' bones." she said landing in the mouth of the cave, and pointing to the charred dragon skeleton, and the pentagram burn mark on the floor where the deal took place.

"Ok...what do we do now?" Flame asked, just glad to be out of the blistering cold, blowing into his hands to warm his claws.

"We bring his spirit here." Cynder said opening the book. she pulled a knife out from inside the book and recited the ancient text.

"Ok...Flame give me your hand."

"Why?" he said holding out his hand.

She cut his palm just enough for a little blood to drip onto Famalus' bones.

"OW! What the hell Cynder?!"

"Calm down Flame, I couldnt use my own blood, I'm the Incantess."

"A little warning would have been nice..." Flame said holding his hand, watching his blood freeze on his hand.

"Awesome...a bloodsicle..."

Cynder chanted again out of the book, a flash lit the cave, and the demon Famalus appeared with them, though he was slightly transparent.

"What the...what am I doing here?" he turned and was an inch away from Cynder's face, which was an angry expression.

"Ahhh! Whoa! What are you doing here?!" he asked frightened, backing away until he came to the wall.

"I summoned you here, now I need you to do something for me." Cynder hissed

"Y...Yea? W...What?" he stuttered

"Read this for us." Cynder opened the book to the appropriate page and he read it aloud and Cynder wrote it down.

"You know what this is for dont you?" Famalus asked

"Yes. We're going to open this portal and go into hell and get our friend back." she said confidently

"Suit yourself...but its no place for the faint of heart." Famalus warned

"Dont worry, we know." Flame said

"Ok can I go now? Lucifer is going to wonder where I've been."

"Sure. Oh and we need you to do one more thing."

"What?" the demon said annoyed.

"Stall the elders for as long as possible, and dont tell them what we are doing."

"Right, right. Can I go now?"

Cynder said a short burst of words and Famalus disappeared.

"Well? Now what?" Flame asked

"We need to gather a few things before we can open this portal." Cynder turned back to the cave entrance and spread her wings.

"Coming?" she asked looking back at Flame.

They flew back into the center of Avalar and back to the temple, to get a list of all the things they'd need to open such a gateway.

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Spyro sat idle in his chamber, meditating...concentrating his powers, growing stronger as his master did.

His eyes shot open, and he walked to the large dark swirling ball on a pedestal, and he looked into it, and his master spoke to him.

'Spyro, my presence has not been felt in the southern regions of the forgotten realms, it is time to let them know that their 'gods' will not save them from my wrath.'

"Yes my lord, your vengence shall be swift and just." he responded, grabbing his sword and putting it on his back.

he walked to the portal and stepped through. he reappeared in the middle of a large village of Riptocs.

Spyro smiled evilly and drew his sword, which lit on fire as it touched the cold night air.

the Riptocs dropped what they were doing and circled Spyro.

he held out his sword in front of his face a few inches, using the reflection to see how many were behind him, his armor shining in the light of his sword.

One ran and jumped from behind him with a spear. It lept over the crowd and was coming down right on top of Spyro, who turned his head and flashed a bright red eye at it, before turning around completely and cutting it in half as the top part went above him and the lower section landed at his feet, splattering him with blood. He took the spear and pulled it from its dead grasp the others in the circle stood there, unsure of what to do. Spyro threw the spear through about four of them, making a hole in the circle. One of them roared seeing the death of more of their kind, and five more of them charged him at once. Spyro grabbed a charging Riptocs head and crushed it in his grip. As the other slashed at his armor, he slung his sword to the left and cut three more of them almost in half. The last Riptoc to attack jumped on his back and tried to claw at his face. He simply flexed and spikes shot out of his armor, impaling it. He retracted his spikes and it slid off his back, leaving its blood smeared on his armor. The remaining few Riptocs fled into their huts. As they ran, Spyro drug his sword across the ground, causing it to crack, and widen as the demons under Spyro's control poured from the earth and attacked the remaining village. The females and young ones were not spared, as were Lucifers orders. As the village burned, Spyro noticed Ripto's castle in the distance.  
'Spyro, I will have no competition, eliminate all of your rivals. understand?'

"Yes, my master."

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"Ignitus! I've just received word that Ripto's realm is under attack!" Terrador said bursting into Ignitus' chambers.

"What? by whom?"

"Spyro! he commands a demonic horde that knows no mercy!" Voltier said poking his head beside Terradors massive frame.

"Go to the strategy room, we can no longer let him run unchecked. Elders, gather your armor and elemental swords, we must stop him in the Shadow Realms."

**I finally have a direction for this story! my writers block is gone and now I'll try to update this story more frequently. also, I never played the original Spyro games, so I have no idea what kind of house Ripto lives in. lol  
peace!**


	9. Chapter 9 Into The Fire

CHAPTER 9- INTO THE FIRE

Ember had been adrift in space for what felt like days, Mars slowly getting closer. Soon she began to pickup speed at twice her normal rate, and kept accelerating.

She got kind of nervous as she plummeted through the atmosphere. Eventually, she began moving so fast, that she appeared to be a comet from the surface of the planet. She felt the heat from the friction of the air molecules being pushed out of the way.

"How do I stop?!" she said aloud as the ground approached her at an alarming rate.

Ember braced for a bone shattering impact, but none came. She found herself standing in the crater that her impact would have created.

"Right...I'm a spirit now..." she said to herself as she looked around the barren red wasteland, the lonely Martian wind blowing bits of dust across the vast expanse of red soil.

Ember saw nothing that looked like an entrance to the underworld, so this just made her even more confused.

'Where do I go from here?' she thought looking around once more.

'Ember! Can you hear me?' a voice inside her head that she recognized as Nera's

'Nera! Yes I can. I thought you and Coran were against me coming here?'

'Believe me, we arent thrilled about it...But I understand your feelings for Spyro...I know what its like to love someone. If Coran knew I was helping you he would never speak to me again, so I'll make this quick; draw a pentagram on the ground in the sand, put the following symbols in between the arms of the star.'

She showed her the symbols and she did as she was told, and Nera told her the words to recite.

'Good luck Ember. And no matter what you see, what you experience, or what you feel remember, you cant die. Ok?'

'Ok. Thank you Nera...I wont let Spyro serve Lucifer anymore!'

'Thats my girl! Get in there and save him!'

And with that, Nera's voice faded from her head, and she recited the words to activate the portal

"Powers from below, reveal yourself to me! Bring forth your powers of fire and damnation, and open the gates to the doomed souls nation!"

The design she drew in the dust began to outline itself in red, then a single spire shot up from the ground, followed by more spikes and a large, intimidating wrought iron gate, stained with blood, and skulls impaled on every spike. Above the gate was an inscription written in Latin. Ember translated it to read

'Abandon all hope, Ye who enter this place.' She thought to herself as she felt the heat coming from whatever awaited her on the other side of this gate.

She swallowed hard and put both of her hands together, the way she did when she was nervous. She large gates creaked open slowly as she took one step towards it...then another, then another. She stopped at the very edge of the gate, trying to force herself into Spyro's realm. Then a thought entered her mind, a flashback to when Spyro took her to that spot from her dream...the mountain above the clouds...dreamland, as Spyro called it. She missed him more than anything, and would be damned if she let Lucifer destroy the dragon she loved...and besides, he would do it for her. And even if she was only a spirit, she would bring Spyro back to their side, even if it killed her...again.

The expression of fear left her face and she confidently stepped forward across the gate. It immediately closed behind her, and collapsed. She had no choice but to press on.

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"Ok...I think we have everything we need. Lets see here, blue crystal?" Cynder asked going down the list of items in the shade of the large tree her and Flame favored.

"Check."

"Red crystal?"

"Check"

"Skull of a ram with the number 666 carved onto the forehead?"

"Check and check." Flame said carving the number into the skull.

"Live snake?"

"Check."

"Dead snake?"

"Check."

"Cup of the afore mentioned rams blood?"

"Check."

"Salvia divinorum?"

"Huh?"

"The leaves Flame."

"Oh, right. check"

"Ok, all we need is an iron dagger and we'll be in business. I have one in my room, I'll be right back." Cynder said heading into the temple.

Flame sat outside eating the ram that they had killed for use in the spell.

"Hmm...This ram is a little dry...It could use some lettuce..." Flame looked around and remembered that Cynder had gotten these Salvia leaves from the shadow wilderness on the outskirts of the village. He picked up a good sized leaf and sniffed it.

"This smells pretty good...I wonder how it tastes..."

"Hey Flame I dont know where I put it do you know of any..." Cynder stopped mid sentence when she saw Flame chewing and saw the leaf with a large bite mark taken out of it.

"FLAME!" she yelled running over to him

"What?" he asked nonchalantly

"Did you eat this?!" she snapped holding the plant

"Yeah...it goes pretty well with ram." he said swallowing

"Flame! This stuff is a powerful psychoactive agent!"

"What?"

"Its a hallucinogen!"

"One more time."

"You're going to see things that aren't there!" Cynder said, but that was probably the last thing he understood, because he began laughing uncontrollably, and then leaned back against the tree they sat under, his eyes drooping as the occasional chuckle escaped his lips.

"Its a good thing this only lasts five minutes..." Cynder fumed after Flame ate something she told him specifically not to eat when she got it from the wilderness...but he probably wasn't listening.

Five minutes had passed and as Cynder predicted, Flame began to resume his normal state of being, only to be met with her expression of annoyance.

"Well? Are you feeling better? she asked, an element of caring overtaking the aggravation in her voice

"Y...yea I'm ok...wow...that was crazy..."

"What was?"

"What happened to me after I ate that...whatever it was."

" Well... it was used by ancient dragon civilizations by the shamans to transcend reality. Some say it makes you see visions, or the future, tell me what you saw, and I'll try and interpret it for you."

" Well, the stuff was still on its way down when a huge, loud, rushing pulse wave, whatever, it was like whooosh! This stuff kind of works in levels like that for me I guess. It was like whooosh! and I'm on the next level, and whooosh! I'm on one level of reality, and then whoosh, I come back. I couldn't sit up anymore, so I fell back against the tree and my body felt all drugged, kind of like anesthetic cause I couldn't feel any pain. I tried to tell to you what it was doing to me, but my voice sounded distant and loud, with lots of reverberations and echo on it. And all of the scenery around here, like the temple and meadows and stuff was starting to kind of tear apart at various places. And then everything was sliced up into pieces and it was all zooming towards me. It was the world, sliced up, into a billion million pieces, all laid out in front of me. One of them was being offered to me. It felt like a voice that I didn't really hear but was communicating with me through pure psychic feeling. It was such a powerful strong feeling that I was absolutely sure it was not coming from my own self. It was telling me that this was my piece of the world, and I should take it, and do what I will with it. That it is the true nature of all existence in this realm. I was so shocked. I was almost yelling, I was saying 'REALLY?'. I hadn't yet taken the piece that was being offered to me, I didn't really know how actually, but before I could ask I was told that I had to put my arms in a kind of C formation. This crazy spirit or voice or presence that was talking to me had a lot of attitude. Kind of just smacking me upside the face with this great truth and telling me so simply exactly what it is in a matter of seconds that it made me feel stupid for not knowing it all along. I kind of felt him/her/it yelling at me something like 'DUH! GRAB THIS PIECE OF AVALAR AND COME WITH ME AND I'LL SHOW YOU! silly Dragon consciousness, but you'll never know everything!' and I had the attitude of 'Oh yeah well I can handle any of this psychedelic trickery, I'm in it for the truth, who are you and what can you show me?' Now I'm not going to totally lie and brag and pretend like I wasn't secretly shitting my pants in the background of my consciousness. I was damn scared believe me! So I put my arms around this slice of the Avalar that was being offered as mine. I was still sitting down but by doing this I almost felt like I was standing. It didn't work the first time but its kind of like puking, it doesn't come up on the first heave but then there was a second heave and I was totally melted into it. I was gone for a moment, but soon I found myself in the next level (remember the whoosh? it was there again). So after I was 'sucked in' I got to see how it works in the spirit world or...I guess that's what it was. then, as suddenly as it began...I was back here against this tree with you."

Cynder was just staring at Flame with her mouth open.

"Wow...I uh...um...all that happened in five minutes?" she asked again

"I guess so..." Flame answered.

"Riiiiight...I think thats enough crazy leaves for you for one day..." Cynder said gathering her remaining supplies and standing up.

"Well if you are done _eating_ all of our supplies, we need to get moving to a place where no one will interrupt us."

They walked a mile behind the dragon temple to a clearing where they set up the required items.

"Ok, now...the snakes are crossed, the leaves are burning, the gems are in the snakes mouths...oh, and while I recite the spell, you have to drink the rams blood out of its skull."

"Um...eww?"

"Flame don't be such a baby."

"I dont see you doing it!"

"I'm reading the spell! Now do you want to help me save Spyro or not?"

"Grr...fine, say the spell."

Cynder chanted the ancient words and Flame did as he was supposed to, and the same gate Ember had seen appeared in the middle of the field.

"Alright, lets go." she walked forward into the gate, but Flame stopped her.

"Um...did you happen to read whats _carved_ on this gate?"

"Yes...I did...and I'm not going to lie to you Flame...I've never been more scared than I am right now...but we have to save him, or at least try. He would do it for us." She said softly, trying hard not to let her fear show through her voice, though it was a losing battle.

Flame walked over to her against the rising heat coming from beyond the gates, and put his arms around her waist from behind.

"Cynder...in case something happens to us down there...I want you to know, that these past few days since that night in the rain, have brought me closer to you than I have ever felt to anyone...so...I just want to say...that I love you."

She leaned her head against his and they kissed outside the gates of hell, for about five seconds before Cynder broke it.

"I love you too Flame...now lets go save Spyro." They took each others hand and exchanged a nervous glance before stepping forward into and beyond the entrance to the underworld.

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"Elders! there is the village he destroyed!" Ignitus called from over his shoulder as the other's were in formation behind him.

"I dont see him down there! Where could he be?" Cyril asked scanning the carnage for any sign of the one who brought it upon this place.

"I dont know-" Ignitus was cut off by a thunderous boom coming from Ripto's castle in the distance.

"There! He is going after Ripto! After him Elders!" Terrador shouted as they flew at full speed in the castles direction.

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Spyro stood at the blown open gates of the castle, and Ripto saw him from the top of his keep.

"Ahaha! Spyro! So you have come to my fortress to face defeat eh?" Ripto mocked from on top of his tower. He had no idea of what his old enemy had become. This Spyro knew no mercy, as Ripto would soon find out.

Spyro merely glared up toward him, and spread his massive black wings, taking to the air.

Ripto fired magic ball after magic ball at him, dodging all of them, even making it look easy.

Once he got to the top of Ripto's balcony, he landed, his massive weight cracking the floor. Thats when he realized that this was not the same young dragon he had faced before...this was something worse. Much worse.

"S...so Spyro...you are r...ready t-to die?" Ripto stammered. The intimidation was almost enough to make him give up. This new Spyro frightened him to his very core.Hhe raised his scepter and tried to fire at him, Spyro simply grabbed it from his hand, and threw it across the room. By this point, his back was against the wall.

"Wha...what do you want from me?" Ripto said cowering in the corner of his own throne room.

Spyro simply smiled evilly, revealing his ivory white fangs and hissed

"Your soul."

Spyro slammed his right palm into Ripto's small chest, and lifted him up off the ground, dark energy swirling all around him as Spyro harvested his soul.

Ripto screamed as the last bit of his life force was transfered into a red crystal at Spyros side. A small wispy white version of Ripto appeared in the gem, trapped.

He held the crystal up to his eyes and peered in.

"Hmhmhm...that was too easy. Hopefully these others on my list will make me break a sweat." he said as he planted an energy bomb on Riptos thrown and opened a portal back to hell to report to Lucifer.

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"Almost there elders!" Ignitus said as the castle was only about a half mile away.

Then an enormous fireball ripped through the castle keep, throwing debris in every direction.

"Damnit! We're too late! He's already gotten to Ripto..." Cyril said disheartened

"Quickly, we must go back to the temple and wait for him to surface again..."

**I guess that will teach Flame not to eat poisonous leaves huh? lol anyway, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, and I might continue my original trilogy if I can come up with some ideas. till then,**

**Peace! **


	10. Chapter 10 A Heroine's Tale

CHAPTER 10- A HEROINE'S TALE 

**Warning! this chapter has somewhat graphic depictions of hell and torture.**

Ember descended the hot earth into hell, treading lightly as she went. She tried to keep her love for Spyro motivating her,  
keeping her pressing forward. then a familiar voice entered her mind

'Ember my child, I must inform you, that since you are a denizen of heaven, you have the ability to dispatch residents of this cursed realm. Use this power when they impede your progress. There are 9 level's of hell, beware of the ninth, as that is where the beast resides.' Shaydo spoke cautiously in his almighty manner.

'Ok. Thank you Shaydo.' Ember responded, not really knowing what he meant by that cryptic statement, but trusted that she would figure it out when the time was right.

Ember walked for what felt like miles down a narrow stone corridor with scratch marks on the walls, and an inch deep film of what looked, felt, and smelled like blood. She was disgusted but knew she had to keep going, no matter how bad it got.

Soon, Ember came to what looked like a river, filled with souls. this was the river Styx. At the shore of the river, stood two dragons, she recognized, and a ferry with a skeleton in a black hooded robe, whom she assumed was the pilot. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Cynder! Flame!" she called out as she ran to them,

They turned and were just as surprised

"Ember?!" They said in unison as she hugged both of them.

"What are you doing in hell?" Flame asked as they kept the hug going

"I was going to ask you two the same question."

"We came to rescue Spyro. I hope you're here to do the same." Cynder said as they finally broke the hug.

"I did... how did you get down here?" Ember asked

"We used an old spell book in the library to open the portal." Flame answered

Ember looked at the both of them. they both meant so much to her, they still had their lives to live out, and she couldn't bear to see anything happen to them in the depths of hell. And if they couldn't rescue him in time, they would all be erased from existence in any form when Shaydo destroyed this realm. She couldn't let that happen. she closed her eyes, and opened them again, as if making a hard decision.

"I know you both want to rescue Spyro...but this is a journey I have to make alone. I'm sorry guys, please forgive me." They both had puzzled looks on their faces as Ember put her hands on both of them, then they disappeared in a flash of white light.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Flame and Cynder were dropped on their tails back at the steps of the dragon temple.

"What the? Ember sent us back here? Damnit! She is crafty." Flame said brushing himself off.

"Well I don't think we have enough supplies to summon another gateway. So we might as well tell Ignitus whats going on...maybe he can give us some ideas on how to get to Spyro." Cynder suggested as they walked into the temple.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

'I hope they understand.' she thought, turning to the ferry on the shores of the river of souls.

"Who goes there?" The pilot asked in a cold, devilish manner, almost a hiss.

"Ember of Avalar, I request passage into the underworld."

"Do you have currency for this passage?"

She thought about it, she had nothing but herself.

"No. Is there another way I can get your services?"

"Yes, you must guess my name."

Ember thought back to her theology lessons with Ignitus... what was the name of the keeper of the river Styx?  
then she remembered.

"Charon."

The skeleton nodded, his bones creaking as he did, and beckoned her onto the boat. She got on and he began the journey to the other side.

On the opposite shore, she noticed souls of dragons. Charon noticed this and explained in his cold demeanor

"In life they did nothing, neither for good nor evil. Mixed with them are the outcasts, who took no side in the Rebellion of Angels. These souls are neither in Hell nor out of it, but reside on the shores of the Styx, their punishment to eternally pursue a banner, and be pursued by wasps and hornets that continually sting them while maggots and other such insects drink their blood and tears. This symbolizes the sting of their conscience and the repugnance of their sin".

'That is terrible...and I'm not even in hell yet...' she thought as she finally reached the opposite side.

She disembarked and Charon began going back to the other side.

Ember walked through a second gate with the same inscription as the first "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate"

LEVEL I

Once thourgh it, she was on the first level, and as soon as she entered, she felt an overwhelming sense of sadness and depression, these feelings almost brought her to tears. Thoughts of Spyro killing her, of how she gave him everything she had, and he still had feelings for Amber. She felt helpless here, and thoughts of the futility of her life in general flooded her mind.  
As she looked, she saw the souls of many beings here. without warning, a black flash caused her to step back, and inside the black cloud of smoke was Famalus, in his dragon form.

"Ember, I sensed your presence here but I couldn't believe it."

Ember's expression changed from sadness to anger. She learned of his actions from the afterlife.

"You betrayed Spyro!"

"I did no such thing! He agreed to accept Lucifers power! Don't get me wrong, I feel terrible about it, which is why I'm here. You want to try and free Spyro don't you?" He said annoyed that yet another being was giving him grief about his actions.

"Yes..." she said just as aggrivated

"Then I can take you there...but I warn you, the things you see may disturb you. are you sure you want to do this?" he asked leaning against his iron trident.

"Yes. Lets go." Ember said firmly

"Ok. Follow me." Famalus walked through the plain in which the souls wept for eternity.

"What is this place?" She asked following close behind her guide.

"This is the first level. Everyone who was not baptized in proper draconic ritual is here, as well as those who did not pay fitting homage to the Ancestors spirit or Shaydo. They weep because they are separate from their loved ones, and from true peace for all eternity."

As they walked, they came to another gateway, with a large II on the center of the gate. Famalus turned to Ember and said

"I feel I must warn you that after this gate, the punishments get more graphic, and get progressively worse the lower we get. So be prepared."

Ember thought for a while as she kept silent. 'I've seen some pretty terrible things so far...but I have to at least see him again...'

Famalus stared at her blankly, waiting for an answer.

"Ok...I'm ready."

LEVEL II

Famalus jammed his black trident into the center of the gate, and as it creaked open, and a large being, with the upper body of a creature Ember didn't recognize,(a human) but the lower half of a dragon. Famalus spoke to him in a language she had never heard before, but for some reason, she knew what they were saying.

"Who is this that requests entry into the second level of the place of eternal torment?" The beings voice was just as loud as Shaydo's, if not louder.

"It is I Famalus, guardian of the damned, and a seeker of the lord of the underworld."

"She is not a damned spirit, why does she request passage?"

Ember spoke up in the strange language, as if she had been speaking it all her life.

"I wish to see Lucifer's new servant." she said as confidently as possible, even though she was talking to a very terrifying creature

The creature stared at Ember and Famalus, then laughed loudly.  
"Fortune has smiled upon you, I, judger of souls, King Minos declare you worthy to enter, level two."

Minos opened another gate to the left of them and they stepped through it. a fierce wind blew out of this level.

They leaned into the wind as they entered and soon found themselves in a cavernous room, where Ember saw many souls being blown around by the unearthly winds, while the dragon souls had skewers through their wings, so they could not fly, but were merely at the mercy of the wind.

"What is going on here?!" she shouted as loud as possible.

"Those overcome by lust are punished in this circle. They are the first ones to be truly punished here. These souls are blown about to and fro by a violent storm, without hope of rest. This symbolizes the power of lust to blow one about needlessly and aimlessly. Each of the skewers in their wings is one adulterous sin committed while married." Famalus shouted back over the howling storm.

They came to another gate and Famalus opened it the same way he did before.

LEVEL III

They stepped into this level and in the middle of a freezing rain and hail storm. Ember shielded her face with her left wing as Famalus walked on. As they walked, Ember noticed dragons lying face down in a shallow sea of mud as the storm raged, and they were being guarded by a massive three headed black dog, easily fifty feet tall and 100 feet long, each head with razor sharp teeth and glowing read eyes. She saw one of the damned dragons lift its head up for air, and as soon as it did, the monster pounced on it and began clawing and biting him, his insides flying everywhere and blood staining the muzzle of the dog heads as the victim screamed in intense pain and agony. The three heads fought amongst themselves for the scraps and as soon as they were devoured, the dragon reappeared in the same place, just as he was before he moved.

They approached the gate to the fourth level and the monstrous dog stepped in front of them, all three heads growling at them,  
blood dripping and occasionally hitting them as its putrid breath wafted by.

"Cerberus! No! Heel boy." he said pointing his trident at it. Cerberus stopped growling and walked to attend to another unfortunate soul who couldn't take the ice cold mud any longer.

"Want to explain that one?" Ember asked

"That was Cerberus, the guardian of the gluttons, the greedy and the miserly. they lie face down in the mud for all eternity,  
and to endure the unending hail and ice storm." Famalus said as if this was an everyday occurence as they stepped into another cavernous room lit by torches. They entered the fourth level

LEVEL IV

"Before we go in, how about you tell me what's in here."

"Aw, but what fun would that be? Its not that bad...it just really sucks." Famalus said as they stood on a cliff overlooking the punishment.

"Those whose concern for material goods deviated from the desired mean are punished in this circle. They include the avaricious or miserly, who hoarded possessions, and the prodigal, who squandered them. Guarded by Plutus, the big wolf over there,who whipped the damned as they pushed each group pushes a great bag of gold coins against the heavy coins of the other group. After the weights crash together the process starts over again.

"Wow, that is pretty bad..." Ember said as she followed him to the gate where Plutus was waiting.

"Where is your destination?" Plutus growled.  
Famalus turned the battle end of the spear to the ground, showing he meant no harm.

"The ninth circle." he answered calmly

Plutus smiled evilly and snickered slightly as he stepped aside, resuming his whipping of his prisoners, their cries of agony echoing through the cavern.

Into the fifth circle they ventured...

LEVEL V

They came upon the river Ember recognized as the Styx. In the swamp-like water of the river, the wrathful fight each other on the surface, and the sullen or slothful lie gurgling beneath the water. They reached the bank of the river where another boat was waiting for them, piloted not by a hooded skeleton, but by a centaur.

"Phlegyas, we're going across the Styx, we need you to take us across to the other side."

he growled leaning against his oar.

"Why should I?" he complained

"Because I know you've been sleeping on the job. you wouldn't want Lucifer to find out would you?" Famalus blackmailed

"Grr...fine. I don't like this one though...she's got the stench of...good on her." he snarled setting off.

"Pay no attention to him, he's been stuck down here since 1134. being here that long does things to you."

They crossed a long part of the river to arrive on the opposite shore, hitting many cursed souls under the muddy water and muck.

They got off again and stopped at the gates of what looked like a fortified city.

"What is this place?" Ember asked craning her neck to see the spires of the dark castle enclosed by the jagged iron walls.

"The lower parts of hell are contained within the walls of the city of Dis, which is itself surrounded by the Stygian marsh.  
Punished within Dis are active sins. The walls of Dis are guarded by fallen angels." he said over his shoulder as he tried to convince the fallen guards to grant them access to the city of the damned.  
As Ember waited, the Furies and Medusa herself threaten her, smelling the stench of good on radiating from every scale.

"They aren't letting me in because you are with me." he told her

Ember thought hard and tried to contact Shaydo.

'Shaydo can you here me?'

'Yes my child, what do you desire?'

'The dark angel guards wont let us into Dis, any ideas?'

'Yes, stand clear of the gate.'

Ember backed away dragging Famalus with her.

The 10 foot tall guard was struck by a beam of light, causing it to emit a high pitched noise that made Ember flinch as this was unlike anything she had ever heard.  
The evil spirit evaporated in a cloud of red mist and the city of Dis was opened to them.

LEVEL VI

Famalus led Ember to the first ring of the walled city. Where she saw beings trapped in coffins that were on fire, the muffled screams and shrieks from inside were enough to drive one mad.  
Famalus, sensing her question before she asked it began to explain this horrible place to her

"This is where heretics are sent, they are sealed into tombs and the tombs light ablaze, and burn for eternity"

Ember shuddered at the thought of an eternity in a small flaming box as they continued to gate number seven.

LEVEL VII

As they approached gate number seven, a large creature with a bulls head and a humans body wielding a large double sided ax blocked their path.

"Who requests entry into the Seventh circle?" the monster asked as steam shot out of his flaring nostrils.

"It is I, Famalus, and with Shaydo's order, I bring an outsider who wishes to gaze upon the Dark Lord."

Sensing his intentions were genuine, the minotaur stepped aside, allowing them to enter one of the most terrifying levels of Hell.

"This circle houses the violent, see the three rings over here?" he asked and Ember nodded, speechless due to the horrors taking place around her.

"Outer ring, housing the violent against people and property, who are immersed in Phlegethon, a river of boiling blood, to a level to match with their sins. The Centaurs, commanded by Chiron, patrol the ring. The centaur Nessus will guide us along the Phlegethon."

Once in the boat flowing down the river Ember felt as though she was going to pass out. The stench from the boiling blood river was so intense, that she was on the verge of vomiting. She closed her eyes for most of the journey and tried to breathe through her mouth. They arrived on the opposite shore and found themselves at the middle ring.  
Famalus leaned on his trident as he had been doing when he explained things to her and began to ellaborate on the tourment taking place.

"Ahh yes, here we have the middle ring. In this ring are the suicides, who are transformed into gnarled thorny bushes and trees. They are torn at by the Harpies. Unique among the dead, the suicides will not be bodily resurrected after the final judgment, having given their bodies away through suicide. Instead they will maintain their bushy form, with their own corpses hanging from the limbs. The other residents of this ring are the profligates, who destroyed their lives by destroying the means by which life is sustained like money and property, that sort of thing. They are perpetually chased by ferocious dogs through the thorny undergrowth. The trees are a metaphor; in life the only way of the relief of suffering was through pain/suicide and in Hell, the only form of relief of the suffering is through pain by breaking of the limbs to bleed." as Famalus demonstrated by snapping off a branch and hearing an earsplitting shriek as the inside of the branch appeared to bleed.

"Not a good way to go." he said to what seemed like Ember a joking manner.

They continued deeper in to the city of Dis to come across the gate to level eight, and the inner most ring of level seven.  
Ember saw a vast desert that stretched on for what seemed like miles. In this desert, she saw a few things she found interesting.  
"What is going on in here?" she asked noting how this ring was decidedly less graphic.

"The inner ring houses The violent against the Ancestors or blasphemers, the violent against nature, scientist and the like, and the violent against others, all reside in a desert of flaming sand with fiery flakes raining from the sky. The blasphemers lie on the sand, the violent against others sit, and the scientists, sodomites and everyone else wander about in groups."

They appraoched the eighth gate and Famalus stopped, much to Ember's surprise.  
"Whats wrong?" she asked turning to face him.

he gave a worried look at ember, not out of fear for himself, but of concern for her, something she thought strange for a demon.  
"Its just...The last two circles of Hell punish sins that involve conscious fraud or treachery. The circles can be reached only by descending a vast cliff, and... this is as far as I've ever gone..." he said as if he were embarrassed to admit this.

"Ok, then just open the gate and I will go in." Ember said with a bravery influencing her voice that almost shocked her when she heard the words she spoke.  
'Go into the two deepest levels of hell? ALONE? I've got to be out of my mind.' she thought waiting for Famalus' answer,  
hoping he'd realize it was all an act.

"No, I cant let you do that, plus only demons can open the gates to the ninth and final level...Lucifers domain"  
His face showed such an expression upon the last two words that it appeared to Ember that even saying his name in this place would cause him to appear.

"Ok, I cant thank you enough for this Famalus." she said as he took the lead once more.

"Just consider it my good deed for this century." he said dryly as they came to the gate to the eighth level.

Famalus raised his trident to open the gate, when a creature jumped out of nowhere in front of the gate. this thing had the head of a dragon, but the body and tail of a scorpion. Famalus pleaded his case with the eighth level guardian and finally gained admittance. Ember had to admit, for a demon, his negotiating skills were amazing.

LEVEL VIII

"Wow...I've only heard of this place... this is where The fraudulent-those guilty of deliberate, knowing evil-are located in a circle named Malebolge, divided into ten ditches of stone, with bridges spanning them." He marvleled as if he were at a museum.

He and Ember crossed the first ditch and Famalus explained, as he would the rest of them when they crossed.  
"Here we have the Panderers and seducers walk in separate lines in opposite directions, whipped by demons, only to have their wounds heal, and be ripped into once more."

They crossed the second bridge,

"Oh and in here, the Flatterers are buried to their necks in excrement!" Famalus said with almost sickening excitement.  
Ember got off this bridge quickly as the smell was horrendus and to the sensitive nose of a dragon, it was especially terrible.  
They came to the third ditch and didnt see quite as many souls as all the others had.  
"Why arent there as many in here?" Ember asked just at that moment getting over the last ditch.

"Those who committed simony are placed head-first in holes in the rock, with flames burning on the soles of their feet.  
Simony is paying to become an official in any dragon temple, instead of being chosen or appointed. Not many come here for that sin." Famalus mused as they continued to ditch number four.

"Ahh, and my personal favorite, the Sorcerers and false prophets reside in ditch four. They have their heads twisted around on their bodies backward, so they can only see what is behind them and not into the future, as they claimed they could in life. How's that for poetic justice?"

Ember giggled slightly at Famalus' joke. the fact that she giggled in the place of eternal torture and torment scared her once she realized what she had just done.

As they came upon the next bridge, they were greeted by a demonic leader, named Malacoda. he tells of the dangers of the upcoming level and assigns a demon escort to take the two of them across the bridge. On the way across, Ember asks Famalus what this ditch meant.

"These are the corrupt politicians, immersed in a lake of boiling tar. No real reason for the tar, other than the intense physical pain and the bad smell."

The demon escort vanished as soon as they crossed the ditch. they looked to the sixth bridge only to see that it was broken.

They flew the few foot gap and landed safely on the other side. as they passed over it, Ember saw dragons listlessly walking along wearing heavy gold-gilded spiked lead cloaks. their moans of pain echoing of the stone walls.

"Those are the hypocrites, and what you see down there is pretty much what happens to them." he said with no sympathy, like the others before them.

They came to the seventh bridge and Famalus talked as they walked across it.

"These are the Thieves, guarded by the centaur Cacus, are pursued and bitten by snakes. The snake bites make them undergo various transformations, with some resurrected after being turned to ashes, some mutating into new creatures, and still others exchanging natures with the snakes, becoming snakes themselves that chase the other thieves in turn. Keeps it interesting I suppose..." he said not looking for any longer than he had to.  
Happening upon the eighth bridge, Famalus started once more "These poor bastards are the liars, and they are encased in flames"  
Ember nodded as she observed the burning away of the scales and flesh, only to be replaced seconds later and repeat the process.  
Their cries of pain were hard to ignore as they pressed on.

'How could Spyro live here? This place is terrible...and whats worse is he chose here over Avalar...' she thought as a single tear came out of her eye, ran down her nose and fell to the rocky hot floor, evaporating on contact. But she couldnt cry now.  
No, she had to be strong for him. For once in her life, the roles were reversed, and she would be damned if she was going to let anything come between the two of them.

"Ahh, the ninth ditch, this is where the Anarchist's go. See that guy over there?" Famalus pointed with his trident to a massive black demon with four wings and two heads with three horn on each head, wielding a large broadsword.

"Uh huh." Ember aknowledged.  
"That guy hacks at the sowers of discord. As they make their rounds the wounds heal, only to have the demon tear apart their bodies again." he said as the demon hacked furiously, blood and entrails flying everywhere. They got off the bridge just as a head at Famalus' feet.

"Lets just get that back in there..." he said nudging it with his foot of the edge of the stone and back into the pit.

They came to the tenth, and final bridge, and Ember noticed the denizens of this place either sat or lay, but rarely moved.  
"Whats the punishment here?" she asked curiosly

"These are the falsifiers alchemists, counterfeiters, perjurers, and impersonators are afflicted with different types of diseases.  
pretty straight forward, but there are some pretty nasty viruses out there, so this is definately one of the worst punishments."

They approached the gate to the ninth and final level. Famalus stopped at the gate and spoke to her.

"Ember, as much as I want to help you save your friend, I cant enter the ninth level. Its not in my power, all I can do is open the gate. I'm afraid you will have to go it alone from here." he said, his voice trembling from even standing near the gate.

Famalus was scared, but Ember was terrified, more than she had ever been in her entire life, and probably ever will be.

She was literally shaking with fear, but managed to address Famalus' statement.

"Ok...for Spyro..." she said under her breath as she looked at the gate.

Then a thought entered her mind, she remembered, as if by some divine que, everything she loved about him, and everything he loved about her. All the memories, the things that had been said, the times when he let her lay on his chest and listen to his steady heartbeat as they watched the brilliant night sky and wished upon falling stars in the twilight. This gave her new courage, and she faced the gate where the Master of all Evil awaited.

She curtly turned to Famalus and said "You need to leave this place... Shaydo will destroy it soon. That is your ticket to freedom. Go to the surface and dont look back. Understand?" Ember said sternly, the fear of earlier now gone completely from her voice, replaced with confidence and courage.

"Got it, thank you so much Ember. And by the way, good luck."

Ember stepped through the gate and entered the ninth Level, looking to come face to face, with Evil

**long chapter huh? I tried to mix in some mythology, so what did you think?**.


	11. Chapter 11 An Inconvenient Truth

CHAPTER 11-AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

Cynder and Flame sat in her room, trying to figure out how they could help Ember. Unfortunately, since they are still among the living, they could only open the portal to hell with the right supplies, which they had used up opening the first one.

Flame was trying to solve one of Cynder's many brain teasers, all of which she had solved and reassembled.

"Ugh...this sucks! I think we should just tell Ignitus what we tried to do, and what we saw. Maybe he can tell us what to do." Flame suggested as he set the puzzle back on her desk and turned his head to face her, lying on her bed, looking at a picture she had of Spyro and herself outside the temple. Flame noticed her eyes watering up slightly.

"We're going to get him back Cynder, I promise we will..." he said getting up off the floor and sitting on the side of her bed next to her.

She put the picture back on the nightstand and looked away from Flame, still at the photo.

She remembered that day as if it happened a few hours ago. It was her first few days of being conscious since their battle, and he took her outside the temple walls for the first time.

_-Flashback-_

_ "Cynder...C'mon. Please come outside with me..." Spyro begged her at her bedside, his pleading eyes almost impossible for her to resist. _

_"But the other dragons are afraid of me...there just going to run away, or call me names..." Cynder said sadly_

_Spyro looked back at her, and made sure his purple eyes met her sapphire ones. his eyes were now reassuring as apposed to beckoning._

_"I promise they won't. and if they do, they will have to deal with me." he said softly_

_She was finally convinced, and Spyro led her down the hallway by the hand and to the front door of the temple._

_"Ready?" he asked._

_Cynder swallowed hard and nodded, Spyro feeling her hand shaking from sheer fear of going outside for the first time._

_He pushed open the door with his free hand and the sun shone in on her for the first time since she had been frred from the dark masters evil spell. The warmth of the sun warmed every inch of her body, she couldnt help but smile._

_"See? Its not so bad is it?" Spyro asked leading her down the stairs and onto the green grass, which was soft unlike anything she had ever felt._

_Cynder looked around the dragon village, at other dragons going about their daily lives, not stopping, staring, or attempting to hurt her, like she thought they would. Maybe she would be accepted here._

_She looked down, and Spyro took a finger under her chin and raised it so she was looking at his head._

_"Whats the matter?" he asked concerned _

_"Its just...all of this...our whole species...our way of life...I tried to destroy it...can you ever forgive me?"_

_Spyro looked at her and his expression went from sympathetic to stern._

_"Cynder, listen to me. that wasnt you. That was the Dark masters evil...please dont hold yourself to the past. whats done is done. and no, I will not forgive you, because there is nothing to forgive. you were taken from the hatchery, and used by that bastard. you had no choice, please dont dwell on this." he said keeping the same expression as when he started._

_She couldnt help but listen to Spyro's words, and take them in. They made her feel safe. _

_ He lead her to his favorite waterfall spot and they swam in it for a few hours_

_Cynder soon got out and sat on the edge of the pool the waterfall created, with just her feet in the water._

_Spyro swam over and stopped right beside her._

_"Done swimming for today?" he asked playfully _

_"Yeah...this has been pretty fun, what else can we do?"_

_"Whatever you want to do babe. this is your day, tell me what you want to do." Spyro asked, gazing dreamily at her. this was before he began his romance with Ember, but after he traveled into the future and stopped himself from falling in love with Amber. He had begun to notice Cynder as a little more than a friend, and she was taking notice of this as well._

_They got out of the water and on their way to the temple, they passed the schoolyard wing, where a few dragons were talking in a group. as soon as Spyro and Cynder got close all conversation stopped as they realized who he was walking with._

_She felt all of their eyes staring at her as they walked by, and then what she feared most happened._

_"Evil!" one of them shouted._

_Spyro stopped walking and Cynder tugged on his arm._

_"Spyto lets just go." she whispered_

_"Hell no!" he said back as he turned to face the group_

_"Who said that?" Spyro demanded_

_"I did. you got a problem?" a rather large dragon who was a lot older than Spyro stepped forward._

_"Yeah I do scumbag, nobody talks to her like that!"_

_"You want to do something about it? Look kid I dont want to hurt you, so why dont you just take your devil dragon back to the rock she came out from under." he said, clearly not realizing who he was talking to._

_ Spyro's eyes narrowed, he charged an earth shot and fired directly at him._

_This caught the other dragons and himself by surprise as it impacted his chest, sending him into the group of his friends knocking a of them down._

_Spyro smiled and whispered "Strike" under his breath as he turned with Cynder and kept walking with her._

_ They walked back toward the temple, and into the field behind it, the same place that Amber had asked him to meet her to try and explain why she didnt feel the same way he did. They sat on a hill and watched the sunset over the mountains, just like he had with Amber at dragon shores. The flooding back of all these memories was almost too much for him to contain. He held his tears back in his eyes, but Cynder noticed his eyes welling up._

_"Whats wrong Spyro?" she asked, oblivious to what happened to him while she was still recovering in the hospital._

_He blinked the tears away and tried to play it off like he had something in his eyes._

_ "Oh...its no big deal...just some dust..." Spyro said as he looked up at Cynder to see if she believed him. her expression was a resounding no._

_"C'mon Spyro...please tell me whats bothering you." she asked putting her hand on his own._

_He looked back at her and smiled, with his eyes still a little watery._

_"It was...this girl I knew once...I really liked her, but she didnt exactly feel the same way...but she lead me to believe that she did...its a really complicated story, but it hurt, a lot..." he said, his voice trailing off as the sun was finally set._

_They walked back toward the temple and Spyro stopped at the steps of the temple and stopped._

_"So...did you have fun today?" he asked looking into her sapphire eyes_

_"Well, other than those jerks by the school...it was the best day of my life!" she said laughing_

_"Thats what I was hoping for." he said happy that she had finally gotten out of the temple, and with him, no less._

_Cynder hugged him and he turned to leave, when she called his name._

_Spyro turned to face her, but was met with her lips on his._

_At first, he was surprised, but he soon meted into it, closing his eyes and putting his hands on her hips as their tongues played in each others mouths for a few seconds before ending it.  
_

_"Ignitus is probably worried about me, I'd better get inside." _

_"Yeah...I wouldnt want him angry at me would I?" Spyro asked sarcastically._

_They giggled and Cynder turned to go back inside the temple_

_"Goodnight Spyro..."_

_"Night Cynder, see you tomorrow." he said walking back to his cave, content with the outcome of the date._

"Wait wait wait...are you telling me you and Spyro..." Flame started but trailed off trying to comprehend what was just revealed to him.

Cynder hoped Flame would take this better, but he was clearly not ok with this.

"Please Flame, it was just a one time thing... he loves Ember, not me. I honestly never-"

"Saw yourself with him?" Flame completed "thats clearly a lie. I dont even know what to think right now. I thought I found a girl that Spyro had no effect on, but it looks like I was wrong again." he said getting up off her bed and walking fast towards the door.

"Flame wait!" Cynder called out, but he was hearing none of it. the door slammed and she was left alone in her room, her tears now flowing freely upon her realization that the dragons she once loved is now a demonic slave, and the one she now loved was mad at her. It felt like all she could do.

Flame stepped outside the temple and left for Embers old cave. he got there and collapsed on her old bed. her scent still barely on it, but he could detect it. he wanted to lose himself in it, just to leave this place and never come back...to go with Ember and not have a care in the world, in heaven. but little did he know, that was far from the truth.

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LEVEL IX

Ember stepped into the ninth level of hell, and oddly enough, it was cold. Ice cold...as a matter of fact, there were icicles everywhere, and what looked like a large frozen lake in the middle of the cave.

She stepped onto the frozen lake known as the Cocytus. as soon as she did, her feet felt numb as the unearthly cold chilled her to the bone.

She stepped toward the center of the ice prison, and noticed there were dragons frozen up to their chest's necks, or sometimes to their heads completely. Some of them cried, but their tears froze and sealed their eyes shut, denying them even the comfort of weeping. She got to the center of the ice lake and looked around.

"Well? Is this it?" She asked out loud as her voice echoed through the cavernous room. she then felt the ice crack beneath her feet, and fell through it, screaming on the way down until she hit the surface below her rather hard.

Ember gasped in awe as she gazed upon the Father of all lies, Lucifer himself. the ultimate sin is punished here, treachery against Shaydo, which is why he is here.

He was at least 200 feet tall, and he was frozen up to his waist in solid ice. He had three faces, one on the front, left, and right side of his head, one was red, one a pale yellow, and one black. Each face had a mouth that chewed on a prominent traitor, the left and right were Brutus and Cassius, traitors to the draconic emperor Julius Cesar, destroying a unified Avalar late in the 4th elder councils reign. Lucifer weeps from his six eyes which mixes with the blood of his eternal victims. He beats his six wings trying in vain to escape. the icy wind from his wings only freezes his victims more.

In the center mouth, the most brutal punishment in all of hell was administered here. And the traitor to Shaydo worthy of this was Judas, the murderer of the first Elder council, almost causing the dragon race to die out entirely. His head was forever crushed in the beasts massive mouth, and his body was skinned alive over and over again by his massive claws.

Ember was utterly disgusted by this and took a few stumbling steps back. Lucifer noticed this, and consumed his victims to free up his six arms, and roared loudly, pounding his fists into the solid ice, cracking it.

"You! Denizen of the the light! Why have you come to my realm of darkness?" Lucifer demanded in the loudest way possible.

Ember was scared out of her mind...there was nothing more evil than what she was looking at right now, and barely got up the courage to squeeze out a single word.

"Spyro..." she said almost as loud as a whisper

"BWAHAHAHA, You wish to see my new slave? He is the best I have ever had! He is on a mission for me, out collecting souls for my true freeing!" Lucifer laughed just as loudly as before.

Ember felt an anger build inside her.

how can he talk about _her_ Spyro like he knew him.

she clenched her fist and a white glowing energy surrounded it.

she ran at the frozen beast and shot the energy charged in her hand at the center face. The recoil from her pure white energy caused her to back flip and land where she had started.

the center face opened it mouth and appeared to devour her blast, then laugh at her effort.

"Hahaha, you are no match for the king of all evil! But please, have a seat, and watch your beloved Spyro work." he said as a chair made of ice assembled behind her, and dark energy bands held her tightly to it. Lucifer then entered her mind and showed her what Spyro was seeing...he was just outside the temple, his flaming sword drawn, ready to attack...

**only a few chapters to go! and Gp75, your idea will most likely end up in echoes of glory 3, in the next chapter. other than that, l8r! **


	12. Chapter 12 Dark Harvest

CHAPTER 12- DARK HARVEST

Spyro's flaming broadsword shown brilliantly in the night's darkness, and off of his armor. He climbed the steps to the large doors and placed the tip of his sword against them.

Then with some kind of unknown signal from Spyro, a fireball traveled down the sword and impacted the doors, sending them splintering into pieces down the hallway with a commanding boom.

Ignitus stirred from his sleep in his chamber as dust fell from the roof. his wonder was soon replaced by a harsh realization.

"He's here."

Ignitus ran from his chamber into the hallway to find the other elders already awakened by this disturbance.

"Ignitus! Spyro has gained entry into the temple!"

"We must stop him here! Before he hurts anyone else!" he said as they made their way to the main training room, where they believed Spyro to be.

The four elders entered the room and saw it empty and dark, until a glint of light shown across the room and came speeding towards them, avoiding the four and sticking into the wall behind them was the infamous flaming sword.

It then flew out of the wall and back to its owner, at the opposite end of the room, his white fangs showing through the darkness as he grinned.

"Spyro! Stop this madness!" Ignitus roared as the torches lit by themselves.

"Hmhmhm...madness? This is not madness old dragon, this is destiny." he said calmly taking a step toward the group, tensing them up for his next move.

"This is not who you are Spyro, you know this to be true!" Voltier reasoned as he merely walked around the elders, his sword slung over his shoulder lazily.

"That is where you're wrong. It is who I am, this was what I was always meant to become, more powerful than any other being on this planet, and with this power, I can keep those I love, safe from death."

"Like you did with Ember?!" a younger voice shouted from the shadows.

Cynder had heard the noise and assumed the worst, rushing into the room where it had come from.

These words enraged Spyro, the flames on his sword growing more intense.

"You lie!" he hissed shooting a massive black fireball in her direction, landing short of her but close enough to send her flying.

"Enough Spyro! if it is us you want, come and fight! But leave the innocent out of this!" Terrador commanded charging his earth powers.

"Very well. By nights end, all your souls will be mine!" he said charging the earth guardian.

Terrador released his earth blast, but Spyro hit it away with his sword into a wall, and rammed him head first, his long now jagged horns digging into his gut as he impacted the wall and slid down, bleeding.

Spyro's hand began to glow like it had when he was fighting Ripto. He stepped closer to his victim, but Ignitus, Voltier and Cyril stepped in front of him.

"We dont want to do this to you Spyro...please stop this before someone else gets hurt." Ignitus pleaded, but his words fell on deaf ears as Spyro slashed his sword through the air, sending a red crescent flying toward him. Ignitus braced for a punishing hit as a dark ball of energy intercepted it and exploded right in front of him. He turned to see where the ball had come from, and saw Cynder, in her adult form, panting slightly from the energy required for her to transform.

"I never wanted to have to use these powers again, but you have forced my hand Spyro!" Cynder shouted, her sweet innocent young voice slowly flickering into the malicious, mature, and strangely seductive voice that the elders remembered fearing.

"I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this, but..." Cynder closed her eyes and they went from sapphire to dark purple, signaling the completion of her transformation.  
"...this seems to be the only way to end this." she completed, her younger self no longer in control, giving in to her long repressed dark side that had always resided in her since her freeing from the dark master.

"this will only delay my collecting of your souls...but if you feel you must put your life needlessly in danger, I guess I could be of service." Spyro said as he grinned devilishly, raising his sword parallel to the ground at his eye level.

"I'm sorry Spyro...this is for your own good!" Cynder blew a huge fireball at him, unfortunately he held his sword steady as it came at his face. His sword impaled the fireball and he slung it around him, and released it back at her, Cynder only had seconds to avoid it, but managed to do so without taking the hit.

Spyro issued another red crescent slash, and this time it hit its mark, sending Cynder flying as a feminine grunt echoed throughout the room. She recovered from the cracks she made in the wall and put a hand on her chest. She was bleeding, the cut shaped exactly like the slash that hit her.

Spyro turned his attention to the elders, still ready to fight. Voltier charged a massive electric shot and released it in his direction. He used his sword to block, but the electricity still raced through his body, causing him to pause with numbness momentarily.

Cyril took this opportunity and used his ice breath to freeze Spyro in place.

The final move was on Ignitus. He prepared his fury attack with all the energy he had left, a red aura glowing slowly and growing in intensity with each passing second.

"I'm sorry Spyro..." he whispered as he released his fiery wrath upon the dragon he raised as a son.

Columns of fire fell from the ceiling and they concentrated on the frozen mass that was Spyro, causing a massive explosion, leaving nothing left of the spot where he stood.

Cynder couldnt believe her tearing eyes. Could this be true? Could the elders have finally ended Spyro's life? Was this the end of the line for a dragon she once...dare she even think it...loved?

There was no movement, and Ignitus hung his head low and sighed, having made the hardest decision of his life.

Cynder felt a tear fall from her cheek as she realized the truth, but then, she spotted something that put a weight in her stomach. Spyro quietly rose on a column of black fire behind Ignitus, with a finger over his lips as he looked right at Cynder and smiled. Before she could say anything, he raised his glowing white hand and slammed it into Ignitus' back, causing him to cry out as Spyro lifted him off the ground, and black energy consumed him, and in an instant, his body was lifeless, and Spyro threw it to the corner.

"Ignitus!! No!!" Cyril cried as he formed an ice sword and slashed at Spyro, who easily countered, and hit the mush older dragon in the jaw with the hilt of his sword, breaking it and sending him to the floor.

Spyro approached him and Cyril tried to get up, making it to his front legs.

"Oh, please, don't get up for me..." he used his electric breath to paralyze, and lift him off the ground, shocking him the whole way, his cries of pain echoing through the temple just as Ignitus' had.

"I wont let you take them Spyro!" Cynder said as she slammed into him, knocking him to the floor, dropping Cyril.

Spyro grabbed Cynder by the neck and raised her above his head.

"Maybe this will teach you not to interfere with plans much bigger than yourself!" Spyro snapped as a ball of black energy coursed through his arm and shot into Cynders stomach, singeing her scales and sending her crashing into the wall behind her. Spyro formed two swords out of dark energy and threw them in her direction, impaling her, one in each wing. She screamed as the swords stung more and more with each passing second. She could feel the blood trickling down her wings to the floor, the warm liquid putting out the burning sensation the dark matter swords caused.

"That ought to hold you." Spyro said turning his attention back to Cyril who had managed to get up, and Voltier stood in front of him, ready to defend him to the last breath, and Terrador, recovered from his injury stood ready to attack.

"Spyro this ends here!" Terrador cried from the group across the room.

"Hahaha...this is only the beginning!" Spyro hissed as he thrust out his glowing white arm, and a larger arm extended appeared and ran the length of the room and grabbed Terrador, lifting him up, then slamming him into the ground, cracking the hard stone floor.

He coughed, and lay there, at Spyro's mercy.

Using the same hand on Ignitus, he grabbed Terrador and took his soul into the same red crystal as the others.

"Now...as for the two of you..." he said menacingly as both his arms now glowed white, ready to harvest the final pieces of the puzzle.

He used both of his ghost arms to yank them close, then, like the others, the black energy stole their souls as well.

Cynder couldnt believe what she was seeing. Spyro had stolen the souls of the elders and now planned to release the ultimate evil upon the world.

"Spyro! I...won't...let you...do this!" she said grabbing the swords and pulling them out of her wings, biting her lip to keep from yelping in pain.

"Still have some fight in you eh?" he said with his sword slung over his shoulder like it was before.

"A lot more than you think!" Cynder summoned all of her strength and power, glowing purple in her own ambient energy.  
Spyro held his ground, but shielded himself, waiting for an attack, but unsure of what was coming.

"Now Spyro...I will release a fury attack the likes of which you have never seen!" Cynder jumped into the air and released all of the dark energy stored within her, the rage from her attack destroyed the temple, leaving the walls in flaming piles as the shockwave level everything around them.

Spyro was cut up by the shrapnel from the blast, but was relatively unharmed, but clearly enraged by his injuries.

Cynder couldnt believe her eyes...not only was he still alive, but he was still standing.

'No way...that was all I had...' she thought as Spyro smiled in victory

"You almost had me worried for a second there." he slashed with his flaming sword and sent a number of red crescents at her, slicing into her scales and sending her stumbling to the ground, her injuries burning as tears of pain dripped down her cheeks. Spyro summoned more black energy swords and hurled them at her, sticking into her wings, pinning up her arms, and her hind legs. She cried out in pain as the blades slashed into her. The blood she was loosing from her various wounds was making it difficult for her to stay conscious.

"Spyro...why?"

"Because it is my master's wish...soon you will know his true power." Spyro opened another portal back to hell, and stepped through, giving Cynder what appeared to be a remorseful glance as it disappeared in a flash as quickly as he had arrived.

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Flame felt an explosion rock Embers cave, stirring him from his sleep, his dried tears making it hard to open his eyes. he stepped out of the cave and looked in the direction of the temple, and saw smoke rising from the north.

Flame took to the skies immediately and once he got above the treetops, he was shocked. the temple lay in ruins, only a few walls standing.

"Oh by the gods...no..." he raced down to the front steps and through where the doors used to be, and saw Cynder impaled against a small section of wall with multiple black energy swords holding her to it.

"Cynder!" he ran to her and tried to wake her. she slowly came to, and could only see a red blur.

"Flame...? Is that you...?"

"Yes...oh god Cynder what happened?"

"He...came...took the elders souls...I tried to stop him...but I wasn't strong enough..." she shrank back into her smaller, younger form, the swords still inside her. Flame pulled the two out of her wings and the rest out of her front and back legs.

"Cynder...I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier...I'm sorry for being so childish...please forgive me..."

"I forgive you Flame...I love you..."

She was barely alive as it started to rain. He carried her to one of the only rooms still intact, the room with the emerald vision pool. he put the elders in the room as well, and concentrated on the vision pool. he saw Spyro, and someone he didnt expect to see...a trapped Ember.

"Please...we have to stop him..." Cynder whispered still hanging on.

"There's nothing that we can do...this is all up to Ember now..." Flame said grabbing Cynders hand and beginning to wrap her wounds.

This night was not over yet...not by a long shot.


	13. Chapter 13 Bringing Him Back

CHAPTER 13- BRINGING HIM BACK

Spyro stepped into his masters realm and saw Ember bound to the ice Lucifer had created.

"My servant, do you have what I desire?"

"Yes master, the souls of those you requested, all right here." Spyro said holding up the red crystal with the souls of Ripto, and the elders in it.

"Those are stolen souls! Spyro how could you do that to the elders?! They raised you like a son!" Ember shouted struggling with no avail against her binds.

"Silence! You know nothing of true power! That which my new father has given me." Spyro said calmly but coldly.

Lucifer released Embers bonds and she stood up.

"I'm not going to let you free him Spyro...even if that means I have to make you a spirit like me." Ember threatened

Spyro smirked and drew his sword, which lit ablaze instantly when it touched the air.

'You know what must be done.' Lucifer said inside his head

"So be it!" Spyro sent a red crescent slash towards her.

Ember had no idea how to block such an attack, so she did what came naturally, and threw her arms up to block her face. As she did, a clear but strong energy shield formed around her, stopping the slash dead in its tracks.

She opened her eyes when she didnt feel any pain, and saw the red energy hanging in midair. She dropped her arms and the shield and energy dropped with it.

Spyro looked disappointed, but not defeated. Putting his sword back, and summoned multiple dark energy swords and threw them all at Ember.

She now had some idea about how to use her new found powers, so she blocked all of his swords, except for one, headed straight for her face. Her head recoiled back and Spyro grinned, thinking he scored a direct hit. She slowly turned her head to show him that she had caught it, in her mouth. She took the sword from her maw, and threw it back at him. he easily blocked it, but was enraged at being mocked in front of his master.

Spyro shot his ghost arm out and grabbed Ember by the neck, flinging her to him, causing her to tumble to the ground in front of him, and for the first time since being here, she felt something Shaydo said she wouldn't feel...pain.

Spyro picked her up by her neck and lifted her above his head, then slammed her back down into the ice.

Ember heard the familiar sound of bones crunching as she felt a sharp pain from her side she felt his cold hands on her neck for a second time.

On his second attempt, he had her by the neck, but she was ready for him as he lifted her up, she shot a ball of light into his face, sending him back a few feet before he skidded to a halt.

Ember gasped for air as she recovered from her injuries. She put a hand to her side lightly and gasped at the sharp pain...broken ribs all right...

Spyro saw Embers hesitation and charged her with his sword drawn. She barely had time to get out of the way of his violent slashes as she dodged through the pain, biting her bottom lip to try and keep herself from showing it on her face.

'Shaydo what do I do?!' Ember thought frantically as she continued to dodge Spyro's mighty thrusts and slashes.

'I will grant you use of this holy blade, Yamato. use it wisely young dragon.' a ball of light came down from the high ceiling and formed the shape of a samurai sword with a white ivory grip wrapped in gold cloth.

Ember jumped toward it and slid all the way there on the ice, grabbing its hilt and removing it from the cold floor.

The moment her hands touched it, her ribs healed, and she could feel the light running through her whole body as the robe and sash she had been wearing began to float as if gravity no longer applied to them.

She held the sword like she had always known how, and sent a white crescent slash toward Spyro.

It hit him in the chest and he stumbled back a few paces, his wound bleeding.

With this new power, Ember glowed with a white aura as Spyro slashed once more, coming straight down on top of her head.

Ember put up both hands and caught the blade of his sword, struggling with it.

Spyro pushed down with all the strength he could muster, but Embers glowing white hands prevailed as she kicked Spyro in the gut and sent him flying towards an ice wall. Instinctively, Ember threw his sword after him. Spyro hit the ice and bounced slightly off of it, but was then met by his sword, impaling him through the chest and pinning him against the wall, a few feet off the ground.

Spyro hung there limply for a few seconds, and Ember realized what she had done. She felt a tear form in her eye as she realized she had just killed the only dragon she loved.

She heard laughing echo throughout the room and looked around to try and find the source.

"Dont cry for me...I'm not dead yet!" it was Spyro. Ember turned around just in time to see three black energy swords racing toward her. she took all three in the chest, and this time she was against the ice wall immobile as she felt blood gathering in her mouth.

She was defenseless as Spyro walked up to her with his sword still in his chest. he pulled it out slowly as black blood flowed forth from his wound.

"You were a fool to try and stop me..." Spyro said calmly

"You were a fool for accepting his power!" Ember said spitting the blood in her mouth on his demonic form

Spyro wiped the blood from his face and growled

"You look tired...perhaps you should rest!" with that, he plunged his sword deep into her chest, causing more of her blood to stain the ice.

Embers vision was fading...she couldnt let it end this way...she had to do something, she had to fight back.

Spyro turned his back on her as she struggled against her swords. Since the dark energy swords were shorter than the others, she pulled them out first, then the longest one, Spyro's sword, biting her lip to the point of bleeding to keep her from making any noise.

Spyro got right next to the altar where he was to sacrifice the souls of the elders when he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down to see his sword tip sticking through him. he turned to see Ember standing there, bleeding, but still ready to fight, her white robe now turned a crimson red in places.

"You just wont die will you?"

"I told you I'm not letting you free him. What part of that didnt you understand?" Ember asked swallowing the mixture of saliva and blood.

"I'm tired of this. Now I will destroy you, once and for all!" Spyro charged and jumped at Ember, to which she did the same. They met in mid air and Spyro slashed, but Ember cut first and shouted "REPENT!"

A white crescent cut the evil Spyro in half, his black blood spilling everywhere. His two halves landing a few feet away from each other. but between the two halves, was a purple dragon, covered in blood about Embers size. She walked over to him and held his head up in her arms.

"Ember? But...how did you know I was in there?" Spyro asked, in the sweet young voice Ember remembered.

"I knew all the good wasnt driven out of you...I just had to find it." she laughed slightly as she spit out more blood.

"Sorry about that..." he said noticing her wounds.

"Its ok, as long as I have you back, I dont care." she said smiling

"Oh...one more thing...how did the sword cut him in half, but not me?"

"Simple. according to Shaydo, Yamato can only hurt evil. Now If you'll excuse me for one second..." Ember said carrying the sword over to Lucifer, who was furious over the loss of his servant, and the fact that he came so close to being freed.

"I will destroy you!!" Lucifer yelled in rage

"You aren't in any position to be making threats!" Ember said as she threw the sword at the central face, stabbing it in the forehead. She threw herself at the sword, it still sticking out a few inches from the hilt. she slammed her shoulder into it, driving it all the way in.

Lucifer glowed with light as he screamed in pain, light rays shooting from his eyes, mouth and nose as he exploded in a flash of light and black ash.

'Ember my child...you must get out of hell, time is of the essence!' Shaydo told her.

After grabbing the red crystal with the souls of the elders inside it, she noticed a few drops of liquid falling from where Lucifer was. She opened her heart shaped locket and caught a few drops in it before returning to Spyro, who still lay exhausted.

she picked him up and carried him to a portal just as a heavy ray of light destroyed the are where they were standing.

she brought him to the field behind the temple, and lay him there. He had the strength to sit up and looked at the spirit of Ember, and began to cry.

"Whats wrong Spyro?" she asked

"I killed you! I hurt the one person who cared the most about me...you should have just left me in hell...thats where I deserve to be."

"Nonsense Spyro! besides...what do you think I have this for?" she opened her locket to reveal a small amount of clear liquid inside.

"What is that?"

"The only thing strong enough to revive the dead...tears of the Devil himself."

Ember drank them, and instead of being partially transparent, she soon reappeared , just the way Spyro remembered her.

"Are...are you real?" Spyro asked raising his weakened arm to touch her cheek

"Yes...I am...Spyro." she said picking him up and carrying him up the steps of the destroyed temple, and laying him in the room where Flame and Cynder waited.

"EMBER!" they said in unison.

"Where have you...how are you...oh who cares!" Flame said hugging her like he'd never see her again.

"It was...an interesting trip." Ember said, looking over to Cynder, seeing her poor condition.

"Cynder! are you alright?" she asked getting on her knees next to her and looking her over.

"I've...been better..." she said laughing slightly, then coughing up a little bit of blood.

"Hmm...I think I can fix that..." Ember said opening her locket once more, revealing a single drop of the healing liquid left.

She held it to Cynder's lips and it made its way to her tongue. Her wounds began to reseal and the blood on the floor retraced itself back into her body.

"Wow...I feel amazing...what was that?"

"Hmhm...you wouldnt believe me if I told you." ember said smiling as she got up.

"So what are we going to do about the elders?" Spyro asked seeing there bodies in the room, a feeling of unimaginable guilt sweeping over him, realizing that this was his doing.

"Dont worry, I think I know how this works..." Ember said taking the crystal, and smashing it into the ground. the souls of the elders flew into their bodies, and Ripto's flew off into the night, to return to his body.

The elders slowly stirred, and then opened their eyes.

"Thank the ancestors you're alive!" Spyro said relieved that he had not been responsible for the death of the only parental figures he had.

"I think they just need some rest." Ember said, looking at their wounds.

"I think we could all use a little bit." Flame said helping Cynder to her feet.

They all decided to sleep in the last room standing of the old dragon temple, taking a break, and enjoying the peace, for however long it would last.

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"So Spyro and his friends escaped hell, and revived the Elders. And Shaydo used his powers to 'destroy' hell. but this matters not, for I can never be truly killed, because as long as beings have the knowledge of good and evil...I will always be here...watching...waiting...calculating...planning my next move. After all, I've been around, for a long long time, stolen many beings souls, and faith. I was around, when Jesus Christ, had his moment of doubt, and pain. I made damn sure Pilot, washed his hands, and sealed his fate. I stuck around St. Petersburg, when I saw it was time, for a change. I killed the Czar, and his ministers, Anistasia, screamed in vain. I rode a tank, held a generals rank, when the blitzkrieg rained, and the bodies stank, I shouted out, 'who killed he elders?' when after all, it was you and me. I watched with glee as your, kings and queens, fought for ten decades, for the gods they made. Just like every cop's a criminal, and all the sinners saints. As heads is tails, just call me, Lucifer, because I'm in need, of some restraint. So if you meet me, have some courtesy, have some sympathy, and some taste. Use all your well learned, politesse, or I'll lay your, soul to waste."

"Pleased to meet you. won't you guess my name? Hahahahahahaha..."

**The End.**

**whew! I hope you guys had fun reading it like I had writing it. the biggest thanks possible to everyone who reviewed! reviews keep me going, so thanks again! can anyone guess what song the last paragraph is from?**

**Peace! **


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